Flirting with Death
by ohx3itsmagic
Summary: AU / Jade West is an junior executive spy with the Central Intelligence Agency, or CIA. Beck Oliver is the best henchman Professor Carver has. Missions are hard for any agent, no doubt. But what if your captor was really good looking? Slight Bade Complete
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So I had another dream. And then I woke up and thought about it for ten minutes. Here's what I decided should go down.**

Jade West strode up the cold marble steps leading to the ominous looking building that lay before her. Her black high heeled boots made a loud sound every time she took a step, but she couldn't have cared less. Whenever she got a call, she knew there were more important things to think about.

The twenty year old flipped her long dark hair over her shoulder and continued her climb. Once she reached the top, Jade pushed open a heavy door leading to the building and stepped inside.

"Excuse me, Miss." A man wearing a formal looking suit stopped her. Before he could continue, Jade reached inside her black leather jacket and pulled out a small leather book. She flipped it open to reveal a sizable, shiny, silver badge. It had CIA lettered across the center. Jade showed her badge to the man, who then nodded and stepped back.

Without a word, Jade returned her badge to it's pocket and continued across the shiny floor inside, to a door that lay on the opposite side of the room. When pushing that one open, she found herself in a room with one long corridor, and one room at the end. Still as sure of herself as she had ever been, Jade continued down the hallway and into the room on the end. There, a desk sat with one chair on either side. No one else was in the room.

Jade rolled her eyes. The setup couldn't have looked more like a grade school principals office. But she sat down on the chair closest to the door regardless, crossing one leg and leaning back, drumming her fingers on the sides of the chair.

"Good morning, Miss West." Another man soon stepped inside the room and shut the door behind him. His jacket had a CIA badge pinned to the outer lapel. The only difference between his and hers was that his had a name on it: Mr. Hale.

"Morning," she answered absentmindedly.

Mr. Hale took a seat in the chair opposite her, on the other side of the desk. "I see you got my phone call. We have much to discuss," he told her.

"Just get on with it," Jade told him impatiently.

"All right." Mr. Hale paused, deciding where to go from there. "You did very well on your last mission, Miss West. Our entire team was very impressed. Fighting off an entire army of pre-programmed robots can't be easy. Although, I could tell stories about back in the day." Mr. Hale leaned back in his chair, reminiscing memories of the days when he had been a junior executive spy himself.

Jade uncrossed her legs and sat forward in her chair. The sound her heel made when it hit the ground jolted her supervisor out of his memory.

"As I was saying," he continued. "You did very well on your last mission. Which is why the CIA decided to put you on this case when the request for a scout came in late last night. You're very talented, Miss West."

"Thanks," Jade said, only a slight touch of gratitude in her voice.

Mr. Hale turned to the desk that sat in front of him, and pressed a small, almost unintelligible button that lay on the side. The space on top of the desk immediately lit up and turned into a transparent screen that floated between the two. Jade sat back again, ready to take in her mission.

"This is Professor Carver," Mr. Hale told Jade. A picture of an older man in a lab coat and wearing glasses appeared on the screen in front on them.

"We've been trying to nab him for years, to no avail. He does a lot of work with illegal substances, trying to make explosives that he can use to blow up the county jail and get his assistants out of prison. This time, he's been reported to have high amounts of netracia in his possession. It's very deadly. Anything it comes in contact with immediately burns to ashes, including skin and body parts. We need to arrest Professor Carver before he puts the netracia into use on the jail. It could be dangerous beyond belief. But we can't just have the cops come in and take him down because his place is very tightly wired with security cameras and lazers, things he developed in his youngers days as a scientist. That's why the CIA was called, and why you are here right now."

"Jade West," Mr. Hale turned off the projector simulator and grew very serious. "If you choose to accept this mission, you need to realize the danger that goes along with it. Netracia can and will kill you, and the system Carver has installed is very difficult to get around. We chose you for this assignment because we know you have the mind, skill, strength and ability to do it. We believe in you."

Jade stood up. "I'll do it," she told him boldly, without a moment's hesitation.

Mr. Hale grinned. "I knew you wouldn't fail us, Miss West." He came around the table to shake her hand. "Let's go over your itinerary..."

****Okay so far? My dream was kind of a mix between Pirates of the Caribbean and Harry Potter...and secret agents of some sort. Beck and Jade actually never made an appearance. But I just wanted to see them in the CIA or something. Plus, I just saw Cars 2, so my spy knowledge is in the clear. Also, I like Agent Cody Banks too. So that's where this came from.****


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I'll admit, it took a little longer than I thought it would to get some reviews up on that scoreboard. But when they did, I couldn't have been happier! I'm so touched that you guys like my writing as much as you do. I never really thought I was that good...**

**Anyways, I'll stop talking now. I'm just happy you like this story. It's been fun for me to get creative.**

**Chapter 2**

"Professor Carver's secret hideout and laboratory is deep in the Himalayan mountains," Mr. Hale told Jade as he sat back down again.

The screen in between the two lit up again, and zoomed in on a small door hidden in various mountaintops covered with snow. "Unfortunately, we don't know enough information to get you in safely."

"I thought you said all the traps were lazers and security cameras?" Jade asked. "I know how to get around those."

"Those are all inside the door, Miss West," Mr. Hale explained. The screen zoomed in past the door to reveal an intricate pattern of cleverly hidden cameras and lazers on a darkly lit path, the end of which leading to the actual laboratory.

"I'm afraid getting to the hideout itself won't be easy. Ordinarily we would just have the helicopter drop you off, but it's too dangerous being near such precarious mountains, and there's no place for the chopper to land."

"So what do I have to do to get there?" Jade asked.

"We...we don't know," Mr. Hale admitted. "But," he continued. "We have a lead."

Jade rested her elbow on the corner of the desk and then her chin in her hand, ready to listen.

"Tomorrow night, there's a gala being held in Paris, France." As Mr. Hale spoke, the screen transferred pictures to a building on a busy street. It was lit up and obviously very formal and professional.

"It's at this building. We've gotten you a formal invite to the gala. Agents from our Australian and European branches will be attending as well. You will need to find them and get the information on how to approach the Himalayan entrance to the hideout safely and without being detected. They can also tell you more about the netracia so you can handle that safely as well. It's a really good idea to have a sit down with them before you proceed any further on this case. Of course, it will have to be in person, because we can't risk having phone lines get tapped."

Jade nodded. "Got it."

"You will have to go in disguise, of course," Mr. Hale told her. "But I'm sure you can figure that out on your own." He reached under the desk and pulled out a small silver metal suitcase. The screen between him and Jade vanished as he set the suitcase down on the desktop.

"Here is all the technology you will need for this mission," Mr. Hale said. Inside the suitcase was a palm pilot, a silver pen, a compact, sunglasses, a bluetooth, and a ring with a large diamond on the top.

"This palm pilot will have all your instructions on it, as they are needed. It's crucial that this is never let out of your sight. Anyone could pick it up and instantly know everything we are planning to do." Mr. Hale picked up the pen. "Carver may have lazers, but you will too. This pen shoots them with a touch of a button. You can use it to break glass cleanly and make an escape, if needed. Things like that." He moved on to the compact. "This compact contains powder that looks just like an ordinary eyeshadow. But it's actually chloroform, which will cause one to pass out if inhaled. Use it if you need to. Just make sure you hold your breath when doing so. The sunglasses are x-rayable. Use them to detect if someone has a gun on them, or something else important. The bluetooth will connect you back here to headquarters. And last, the ring can help you hang glide to higher distances. Use it to shoot a line somewhere above you, or stay close to the ceiling if the floor is covered in traps."

Mr. Hale closed the suitcase and handed it to Jade. "Understand?"

She nodded again. "Crystal clear, sir."

"Wonderful." Mr. Hale stood up again and came around the desk. "I won't be with you on this mission from here in headquarters. We've decided your usual accomplice will work just fine."

"Thank you, sir," Jade told him, grateful. "I enjoy working with her."

He smiled. "That's why I think she'll help you more than I can." He headed for the door and opened it for Jade to step through. "She's waiting on the other end of the building to help you prepare for the gala. Your flight to Paris leaves at 6 am, tomorrow morning."

Mr. Hale held out his hand to shake Jade's again. "Good luck, Miss West."

"Thank you, Mr. Hale. I won't let you down." Jade returned the shake and then bid farewell and continued down the hallway, making her way to a door on the other side of the building. Once reaching it, Jade pushed it open and walked inside. A smaller girl sat on the other side of the room, in front of an iPad on a desk that had intricate design patterns on it. Upon hearing Jade enter, she turned her swivel chair around and smiled. "It's about time you got here!"

Jade smiled in return. "Hi, Cat."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews, guys!**

**Chapter 3**

Cat squealed and stood up from the wheely chair to run over and give Jade a hug, who obliged more to get it over with than out of joy to see the redhead. Yes, Cat was fun to work with on missions - the girl had great disguises at the ready and was always prepared with her headset and computer back at headquarters whenever Jade was in a sticky situation out on a mission. But only so much joy and lack of personal space was tolerable after a while.

Cat finally let go of the taller girl and ran back over to her iPad. "Mr. Hale told me all about this mission," she said, her back turned to Jade as she scrolled down the brightly lit screen. "I have the perfect outfit for the gala tomorrow!"

"On your iPad?" Jade replied dryly.

"No, silly!" Cat giggled again. "I take pictures of everything in the CIA disguise closet for easy mix and matching." Her fingers were a blur on the screen as she spoke. "How does this look?"

Cat held up the device to reveal a gorgeous dark emerald green velvet dress. It had a halter top and was very form fitting. Jade immediatly liked it. Why not still be fashionable when in disguise?

The dress was paired with black stiletto heels and a short black wig, the ends of which would barely touch the ends of Jade's collarbone, she guessed. Cat had good taste. The overall look worked very well. It seemed appropriate for the gala, was something Jade, as a picky dresser, was willing to wear, and also was subtle enough that no one would recognize her, but it was still realistic.

"It looks good, Cat!" Jade praised the younger girl. "Can I try on the real thing?"

Cat giggled again. "Kay kay!" Before Jade knew it she was up and dashing off across the room to open a door on the opposite wall. Inside was the largest walk in closet ever known to man. Literally. Jade once asked Mr. Hale how big it was. Bigger than a Kardashian closet, he had answered. Impressive.

Cat was almost immediately back out in the meeting room with the garments that had previously been shown electronically. "Go get changed!" she insisted, shoving them towards Jade.

When Jade stepped back out in full disguise, she looked unrecognizable. And fully prepared for a gala in France the following day.

"What are you gonna call yourself?" Cat wanted to know.

Jade caught sight of herself in a mirror hanging on the opposite wall. She almost scared herself, she looked so different. "I don't know..." she admitted.

"Don't worry!" Cat insisted, heading for the iPad once again. With a few clicks, she had an answer. "I have a spy name generator right here!" Another few clicks, then she looked up and smiled.

"Natalia Johanssen, I wish you all the luck on your mission tomorrow."

Jade smiled and stepped over to stand next to her. The heels made her almost tower over the smaller girl. "Thank you, Cat. I appreciate it."

"Your flight leaves early tomorrow morning. The driver will pick you up at home at 4:30 am." Cat held out her hand for Jade to shake. "Partners?"

Jade hesitated for only a second. Then she reached out and took Cat's hand in hers firmly. "Partners."

/

Twelve hours later, Jade West was on a plane jetting to Paris, France. Her suitcase was packed, her gadgets were stocked, and her confidence was in full supply. If only she knew exactly what was in store.

**I actually found an online spy generator for Jade's name. Cool, huh?**

**Sorry chapters are so short. I've been super busy with classes, babysitting...the works.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey all, sorry it's been a while. Had a crazy hectic summer and have many big projects and goals that I'm trying to complete. **

**Chapter 4**

Once Jade checked into her hotel (under her alias, of course), she quickly got situated and then called Cat.

"Hello?" the redhead answered.

"Hey, Cat. It's me, Jade. We landed safely and I just checked in. All is well." Jade opened her suitcase and pulled out her disguise and weapons as she spoke.

"Perfect. The gala starts in an hour, so you better get ready now. Call me when you're on your way and if you have any questions."

"Thanks, Cat. Later." Jade hung up and studied the dress lying on her bed for a second. Then she picked it up, along with her wig, and headed to the bathroom to get changed.

/

Once Jade was in full costume, she turned her attention to stocking all her gadgets. Cat had advised her before she left the US to carry her weapons every time she was in mission mode: and sometimes even when not. You never know when danger is on the horizon, she had said.

Jade picked up the silver palm pilot, turning it over in her hands once before setting it in the small black clutch purse Cat had picked out to go with her outfit. It looked enough like a cell phone to pass as one, as long as no one tried to read anything inside. She put the lazer pen and compact in her purse as well.

Jade slipped the bluetooth in her ear. She figured no one would really notice it under her wig, and if they did it wouldn't be a big deal. It was a normal bluetooth. As for the sunglasses, she finally decided to just wear them on the crown of her head after much debate. It wouldn't be sunny, but she figured it would look like nothing more than a fashion statement. The ring was an easy one. Jade slipped it on her left ring finger and stood up, pressing the small silver button on the bluetooth as she headed for the door."

"CIA," she heard Cat answer on the other end of the line.

"Cat, I'm officially off Jade's cell phone. On my way," Natalia said, heading for the hotel elevator.

"You're in costume and everything? Great work so far, Jade. Good luck!"

"Thanks, Cat. Hopefully, I won't need it."

/

Jade arrived at the gala sooner than she'd hoped. Fortunately, she'd remembered in the car to check her palm pilot for directions. It would be her key to navigation around this party.

As she stepped over the last stair and into the large building, Jade was met with the sound of mingling people and laughter. But she had no time to make friends. Jade was on a mission.

The directions on her palm pilot had told her to immediately look for the Australian and European agents that should be at the party as well.

_They're probably two of the million people here, acting just like another party guest,_ Jade thought as she looked around. She had no idea how to find them.

Jade stepped into the corner of the ballroom and hit the bluetooth button again. She needed help or this would take hours of frustration and humiliation.

"CIA," Cat answered immediately.

"Cat!" Jade called in a hushed whisper. "I'm in the party, and have no idea what these other agents look like. How am I supposed to find them without blowing my cover?"

"Relax," Cat assured her. "I just sent instructions to the palm. Take note that they're wearing disguises, too. They're going to be wary around you until they know that it's Jade."

"How am I supposed to tell them that?" Jade asked, exasperated.

"The CIA conversation code, Jade," Cat answered calmly. "Walk up to them and say, 'Hello. Lovely weather we're having, isn't it?' If they answer, 'Yes, but I do think we're expecting rain tomorrow,' you have the right person. Don't tell them ANYTHING if they don't answer like that. They'll know what you're talking about."

Jade bit her lip. "Alright. I can work with this. Thanks, Cat."

"Good luck." Cat signed off.

Jade turned off her bluetooth and headed back out into the party, pulling the palm pilot out of her purse to casually scan. The screen revealed that Cat did send descriptions as she had promised.

_Our Australian agent has dark skin and short brown braids. He'll be in disguise, of course, but you can find him in a conference room upstairs on the left side. He should be sitting inside. Remember to use the code and make sure it's him before you two converse. _

Jade shut off the palm and looked up to find the conference rooms clearly visible on the second level. There was only a floor around the outer perimeter of the second level, leaving clear room for someone to fall from the second level to the ground level if there wasn't a banister around the outer edge. The only problem was, Jade couldn't find a clear staircase to use to get to the second level. She couldn't hang glide, there were too many people around.

Jade began to search for an alternate route. She soon found a hallway in the back of the ballroom, and cautiously began to walk down it, once she was sure no one saw her exit. As she left the party with every step, the noise began to fade and soon it was quiet. She tried to be as stealthy as she could, considering her heels made a noise on the shiny tile floor with every step she took. Jade soon saw a corner up ahead, and voices coming from behind it. She slowed down and chose to peek around the corner first, scoping out the situation.

She saw two security guards chatting amiably in front of a staircase that obviously led up to the second level. _How am I supposed to get up there without causing a scene?_ she wondered, as one of the guards bid farewell and left, but thankfully through another door and not passing her.

Something else Cat had told her popped into Jade's head. _If you're ever in doubt, try your weapons. _Her fingers closed around the compact in her purse, finger ready on the latch. Jade took a deep breath, and stepped out from behind the wall and over towards the guard.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Jade strode confidently over to the security guard.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave," he said calmly as she stopped in front of him. "The gala host has requested that no one ascend to the second level tonight."

Jade said nothing, but simply pulled the compact out of her purse and flipped it open, revealing shiny white powder resting inside. Before the guard had a chance to react, Jade had held her breath and blown a cloud of the dust right in his face. He dropped unconscious on the spot.

Smirking, Jade stepped over his body and started her travel up the stairs to the second level.

_Conference room on the left side,_ she thought as she reached the second level with ease. Jade found the room in no time, seeing a shadowed figure inside waiting for her. Jackpot. She knocked briefly before opening the door, and stepping inside.

"Hello," she said pleasantly to the man. "Lovely weather we're having, isn't it?"

He grinned and stood up. "Yes, but I do think we're expecting rain tomorrow."

Jade breathed a sigh of relief. She'd made it to the right person. "Jade West, CIA America," she introduced herself, sticking out her hand.

"Andre Harris, CIA Australia," he answered, shaking her hand. "It's a pleasure. I've been briefed on your latest mission concerning Dr. Carver. What can I do to help?"

"I need more information on how to access his hideout lab in the mountains," Jade told Andre as the two made their way to a conference table in the center of the room. "Mr. Hale told me everything I know so far. We know where the entrance is, and I can certainly get around the lazers and other traps inside. The problem is, we can't find a way for me to get up to the entrance door. The helicopter can't land. Mr. Hale said you could be of assistance."

"Hmm," Andre scratched his chin thoughtfully. "I've had plenty of experience in these mountains we're talking about, and I know just how hard it is to access certain entrances. If I were you, I'd just hang glide to the top. The temperatures aren't too dangerous, it's much safer than trying to get a helicopter past security. Wear colors that can help you blend in, and go as quick as you can. You should be fine, I'm still here."

"Easy enough," Jade said, pleased. "Thank you, Andre. I appreciate it."

"Good luck on your mission, Miss West," Andre said, standing up. "And please, from here on out, call me Christian." He smiled.

Jade nodded, understanding. "Got it." She bid farewell and left Andre in the conference room, finding a corner in the upstairs hallway to check the palm.

_Once you find the Australian agent and get his information, the next step is to try for the European one, who will brief you more about netracia. This is super important to cover before you actually embark on this mission. Our European agent should be in the office back downstairs, in the lower corner of the west wing. He has dark hair and the same greetings and tactics as before. Good luck. -Cat._

Jade slipped the palm back in her purse and headed for the stairs, slightly fearful of the guard she thought might have come to at the bottom. Her fears vanished in relief when she peered down the stairwell and saw him still asleep at the bottom.

Jade quickly descended down the stairs, stepping over him again and heading back down the hallway towards the party. She had almost made it before bumping into someone she didn't recognize.

"Sorry," she said hastily, adjusting her wig.

"It's alright," the man in front of her said, smiling back.

Jade sized him up quickly. He seemed to fit the description of the European spy Cat had told her to find. Although he wasn't in the office where she said he'd be, Jade knew plans sometimes changed. She decided to try to the code.

"Um, lovely weather we're having, isn't it?" she asked.

The other looked at her for a moment. "I guess so. It seems a bit gloomy out," he answered after a pause.

_He's not a spy. I have the wrong person_, Jade realized. "Yeah, it does. Well, if you'll excuse me," she said, trying to brush past him and continue with her mission.

"Wait!" The other said, grabbing her arm. "Before you go, at least do me the honor of telling me your name."

Jade couldn't stop herself from getting lost in his big, brown eyes. His long dark hair fell over his olive skin as he waited for a reply.

Jade managed to snap herself into spy mode just in time. "Natalia. Johanssan," she blurted out, then quickly composed herself. "And you?"

"Beck Oliver," he answered, extending his hand. "It's a pleasure."

"Likewise," Jade said, returning the shake before quickly excusing herself. "I'm sorry, I should be off." Before he could answer, she was down the hallway, in pursuit of the real reason why she was here.

**Uh oh...what do you think is gonna happen?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

As Jade burst back out into the party scene, she couldn't stop thinking of the guy in the hallway she had almost mistook as the European agent. Thank God for things such as the CIA code, or that could have been bad.

As she made her way across the floor, Jade grew annoyed at herself for not being able to get the boy out of her mind. She had bumped into tons of people before on missions, conversing with them all the time. Some were VERY good looking, and she even needed to "fake date" them in order not to blow a cover. Sure, they were attractive, but none of them meant anything to her. So why was this one different?

Jade had completely lost herself in his eyes, almost to the point of blowing her cover. And THAT was dangerous. A loyal CIA agent, Jade put her job before everything else, even romance. Determined as she was, Jade was positive that this guy would not stop her from doing what she was told.

Once finally reaching the West wing, Jade slipped behind a huge pillar and then carefully made her way back into the office, making sure no one saw her. Once again, there was a figure inside.

"Hello. Lovely weather we're having, isn't it?" she asked upon entering.

The other stood up, grinning. "Yes, but I do think we're expecting rain tomorrow."

Jade smiled. She had this down! "Jade West, CIA America."

"Robbie Shapiro, CIA Europe," came the reply, as he shook her hand. "What can I do you for?"

"How much do you know about netracia?" Jade asked, pulling out a chair.

"A fair amount," Robbie replied. "It's illegal, of course. That's why we're after Carver. Simply put, netracia burns everything it comes in contact with, unless you have these." He pulled out a briefcase from under the table, and opened it to reveal a pair of rubber gloves.

"Rubber gloves?" Jade asked suspiciously.

"These gloves may look normal, but they're coated with a special substance that doesn't react with the netracia. Wearing them is the only way you can handle the substance, if you need to. I recommend wearing them any time you're near the stuff, and only touching it or coming in contact with it if absolutely nessecary. Your goal in this mission is to shut down the lab and help us to arresst Carver, not steal the explosives and get the heck out."

Jade nodded. "Got it."

"Good." Robbie shut the briefcase and pushed it across the table to Jade. "Carver is the only other one who has gloves like these. That's how he handles netracia. I can't emphasize how careful you must be."

"I won't let you down," Jade said firmly, rising and shaking Robbie's hand again. "Thank you so much for all your help."

"Anytime, Miss West. Good luck, I'm here for help if needed." Robbie bid her farewell, and Jade exited, briefcase in hand, and made a direct beeline for the exit. Her work here was done.

While descending the steps outside the building, down to her car, Jade hit the bluetooth button to call headquarters.

"CIA."

"Cat, I got everything. When do we leave for the Himalayas?"

She didn't notice a figure watching her from the second floor window of the gala.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

On the second floor of the building, Beck Oliver turned away from the window and pushed his dark hair behind one ear to reveal a bluetooth of his own, identical to Jade's.

"Yeah, I got it," he said casually, sticking a hand in his pocket.

"Got what? Speak, boy!" a voice from the other end demanded.

Beck chuckled. "Her name is Jade West. But if you ask her, she'll say it's Natalia Johanssen. That's her code name for this mission." The boy looked down at a small device in his palm, reading information off it to the person on the other end of the line. "Hale put her on for this one."

The other person cursed through the phone. "Hale. Damn it. What does she know?"

"Everything. She met with both the European and Australian agents today. She's ready to begin the mission, sir."

"How did you even find all this out?"

"Simple." Beck held up his hand to admire the device in the light. "My new compact DNA reader. When ever it comes in contact with someone's DNA, it immediately connects to their files and records. I know everything I need to about her."

_*"Wait!" The other said, grabbing her arm. "Before you go, at least do me the honor of telling me your name."*_

"And as the best assistant I've got, what do you need to do to make sure she doesn't succeed in this mission?" Professor Carver asked.

Beck smirked. "Don't worry about a thing, sir. I know just what to do."

/

Back in her hotel room, Jade was packing the last of her things in preparation for her flight directly to the Himalayas the next morning. The way she saw it, there was no time to waste. She had Cat on speaker as she moved around, grabbing things from here and there.

"You feeling okay?" The redhead's voice asked through the phone.

"I guess so," Jade replied."I've felt worse before missions."

"True," Cat mused. "Everything went okay at the gala? No holdups?"

Jade was just about to answer yes, before the image of Beck Oliver popped into her mind. "Actually, no. Something weird happened."

There was silence for a moment. Then Cat spoke. "What?"

"I...I don't know how to explain it. I met this guy there...and I thought he was a spy for some reason. I couldn't figure it out. He was just...different from everyone I had ever met before."

"You didn't blow anything, did you?" Cat demanded.

"No! Of course not!" Jade answered quickly. "Everything was fine, my name is Natalia. He doesn't suspect a thing. It was just a bit distracting, that's all. I've never been distracted by a guy like that before. It was weird."

"It does seem weird, Jade. That's not like you," Cat asked uncertainly. "We better run his name, just to be sure. You can't trust anyone in this business."

Jade heard rapid typing, as Cat was sitting by her monitor while on the phone. She could picture the redhead with eyes boring into the bright screen as her fingers moved rapidly across the keyboard, headset deftly attached to her ear.

"Nothing came up. This Beck Oliver guy isn't in the business," Cat related moments later.

"Good," Jade said, shutting her suitcase with a bang. "So he was just a normal person trying to hit on me. Whatever. Once I'm on that plane tomorrow, I'll never see him again. What time do we leave?"

"I booked you a flight at 8 am," Cat replied. "You'll be transported directly to the Himalayas. Dress accordingly, and stock your gadgets. It's go time."

"I hear ya," Jade said, pulling down the covers on the hotel bed and climbing in. "Goodnight, Cat."

"Goodnight, Jade. Great work today."

Jade shut her cell phone with a snap and turned out the lamp next to her. Even spies need their beauty sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

**For my anonymous reviewer from last chapter (thank you for the review, all of you!) to answer your question, Beck is a spy, just not for the same firm as Jade. Actually for the enemy, but you figured that out, probably. He is trained as a spy and as it says in the summary, is also the best assistant our villian (Carver) has. So like a henchman trained the same way Jade is. Make sense?**

**If this gets confusing at all for anyone, please let me know. My mind works in weird ways.**

**Disclaimer (just in case people get on my case): I don't own Victorious or any of the characters. If I did it would be the Bade show and Tori wouldn't exist.**

**Chapter 8**

The next morning, Jade rose before the sun to prepare for her flight. Instructions from Cat on the palm read that the Himalayas tended to have permanent snow and ice on the summit, so she dressed in thermal underwear, deciding to brave the potentially stifling conditions on the plane ride. Over her underwear, she put on a track suit specially designed for lots of movement. An action suit, so to say. After stocking the gadgets like Cat had advised, Jade checked out of the hotel and headed for the airport.

/

Professor Carver was bent over a desk in the depths of his laboratory, squinting through his thick glasses to examine something in a microscope.

"Professor!" A voice from across the room accompanied a bang as the heavy lab door swung shut.

Carver scowled and looked up from his work. "What is it, boy?" he asked as Beck walked across the room.

"West is on her way. My tracking device says she left Paris an hour ago. She should be arriving here this afternoon," Beck reported.

The professor cursed under his breath, but remained silent.

"Should I alert everyone of her arrival, sir?" Beck asked.

Carver stood up. "No," he said, walking over to Beck. "Let her find her way in by herself. She knows what she's doing. Once she thinks she's comfortable, safe, and unbeatable, _then_ we can take her down."

Beck grinned. "Of course." He turned to leave as Carver sat back down at his lab stool.

"One more thing," he called just as Beck had a hand on the door handle.

He turned around to face his boss. "Yes, sir?"

Carver thought for a second. "You say she was distracted upon meeting you?" the older man asked his employee.

Beck nodded. "Yes, sir."

Carver sat back on his stool. "Don't let her see you," he told Beck.

The boy nodded, before turning and leaving the lab.

/

Upon arriving at her destination, Jade hit the bluetooth and called Cat quickly to give her an update.

"I arrived," she told the redhead. "You sure it's safe to hang glide?"

"I did a background check on the climate and footing of the area," Cat told her, keyboard clacking away. "You should be fine. Remember, hang gliding will only get you to the entrance, if what Andre told you is true. Call me again once you're at the door to the lab."

"Got it." Jade signed off before glancing down at the shiny, familiar ring on her finger. Hale had given it to her at the beginning of the mission, telling her it was a hang glider. Jade raised the gadget in the air and scanned the horizon for the lab entrance. She found it with ease.

With no hesitation, Jade pushed the fake diamond on the top of the ring. A thin rope shot out of the base of the hang glider and firmly embedded itself in the edge of the snowy cliff.

"Here goes nothing," Jade said under her breath, before hitting the button again, allowing the ring to help pull her up to the lab entrance. Using her feet to walk along the side of the icy wall, Jade felt like she was ascending Mount Everest. But in a way, she was.

Once at the steel door hidden on the side of the mountain, Jade put the hang glider away and called Cat. "I'm at the entrance," she said quietly, looking around at her surrondings.

"Good!" Cat praised her. "Continue inside. Remember to look for lazers, security cameras and spotlights. You'll do fine."

Jade signed off and went for the lab door. Upon trying the handle, she realized the heavy door was locked tight. Of course.

Crouching down to examine the lock, Jade discovered that it was a 4 number lock, not a key, that would open the door. Before calling Cat again and risk blowing her cover by not being quiet, Jade first reached for her palm pilot. Relief washed over her as she saw there were new instructions.

_Almost forgot!_ Jade could almost hear Cat's giggle. _The door to the lab will be locked. You'll need a four number code to gain entrance. Although we don't know the code here, we do know that it is hidden somewhere around where you are now._

Jade glanced up at her surrondings. All she could see was white, fluffy snow.

_Try the rocks that make up the wall next to the door. See if one moves._

Jade put the palm away and turned back to the door. Like Cat had written, the wall next to the door was built from rocks. It was a mountain, after all. Brushing the new fallen snow away, Jade began to inspect the rocks, looking for a loose one. She didn't have to search long before success.

The Junior Agent pulled a loose rock about the size of her fist away from the wall and turned it over in her hand to reveal four digits etched into the back in coal.

Jackpot.


	9. Chapter 9

**I love you all, and I'm so happy you love this story! As I make your day, you make mine in return with your very sweet reviews. Thank you all so much!**

**Chapter 9  
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Jade swiftly punched the code into the pad on the door before sliding the rock back into place in the wall. She heard a small click as the lock on the door snapped and it creaked open. Pushing the metal frame wider, she cautiously entered the lab and began to scope out her surroundings.

Cat and Mr. Hale had been right. There were traps EVERYWHERE. The lab door concealed a long, dark path hidden in a cave like structure, the hideout being in the mountains and all. There were sharp rocks hanging from the ceiling, as well as sprouting from the floor. It was also cold beyond belief. Jade silently thanked the Lord for helping her remember warm clothes.

Hiding behind a huge rock near the entrance, Jade scoped out the situation and began to form a plan. She could clearly see horizontal laser patterns decorating the path in front of her. One of the first things she learned when training to be a spy was that if you hit a laser, you're as good as dead. Thankfully, the CIA had also taught her how to make sure that never happened. Jade was confident the small red beams wouldn't be a problem.

Also in her path were security cameras, attached to the sides of the cave walls. The machines were slowly moving back and forth, looking for any sort of motion to detect. Cameras were no big deal to Jade, either. Her firm had taught her well.

She recalled Cat mentioning something about spotlights as well, but she couldn't see any from her position behind the rock. Taking a deep breath, Jade left her safety and headed for the ominous danger ahead.

/

First to tackle were the lasers. For a secret agent, handling lasers is no more difficult than it is for an NBA player to dribble a basketball. Jade was able to effortlessly tumble roll under them, light on her feet and stealth on her mind. The security cameras were like shooting hoops: tricky at first, but once you figure it out, you're in the clear. Jade had had more than enough training to be able to handle them, and was able to walk directly under each camera so it didn't detect her.

_This isn't as bad as I thought,_ she pondered while continuing down the path. _Maybe this hideout is all –_

Jade's inner thoughts were cut short when a bright white light from an unknown source blinded her._The spotlights!_she thought, frantically trying to look around and shield her eyes. A loud alarm blared in her ears. _Intruder alert, intruder alert._

In a panic, Jade hit the button on the top of her ring and pointed it to the rocks on the ceiling. As the thin wire latched on to the stone, she hit the button on her Bluetooth before allowing herself to be pulled up the wall. For once, Jade West was in panic mode. And she needed help.

/

From the security room hidden deep in Carver's lab, Beck sat at a desk watching the footage from the cameras on a TV screen. Sources had told him that Jade was on the premises, and yet he didn't see her in any of the tapes.

"She there?" a voice echoed from the corner of the dark room.

"She's here, I just can't see her," Beck replied.

"Smart girl," Professor Carver said. "The ones trained by Hale always are."

Beck nodded absentmindedly, eyes still on the dull, motionless screen. His eyes widened when a spotlight suddenly appeared on camera and Jade was caught right the middle of it.

"Unbelievable!" Beck yelled, pushing away from the desk and standing up in frustration.

"What's wrong?" Professor Carver asked, getting up from the corner to look over his assistant's shoulder.

"The others got her. I _told _them to keep the spotlights off and let her in easy, so her guard comes down."

Carver cursed under his breath. "Idiots. We can deal with them later. Now, we have a criminal to supervise."

The two men left the room together, scowling on the way out.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Jade frantically tried to scale the wall as fast as she could. With alarms blaring and spotlights illuminating the dark tunnel all around her, she knew her cover was blown and was desperately trying to salvage any change at staying hidden.

Unfortunately, her spy equipment failed her when the line bringing her up to the ceiling snapped. Jade gasped before gravity came into play and she tumbled down the wall, landing on her back in the dirt.

She groaned and saw stars before trying to push herself up onto her elbows. The alarm was still going full force, and she was sure she had hit her head on something hard upon landing back in the dirt. As she sat there, Jade was only vaguely aware of the fact that her Bluetooth had connected back to headquarters, and Cat was frantically trying to get her attention.

"Jade? JADE! I hear a siren, what's going on?" the redhead's voice echoed in her ear.

"Cat?" Jade blinked, trying to push herself up to sitting position. "Cat, I need help!" she cried into the Bluetooth. "Someone tripped a sensor, they know I'm here!"

Before she could continue her plea for help, Jade became aware of dark shadows in the corners closing in on her. With horror, she realized that the Professor's workers were coming.

"Cat!" Jade called frantically again, as the shadows merged into three big, strong, angry men. Without a word, they took her by the arms and easily lifted Jade to her feet, before turning and dragging her away from the tunnel.

"NO!" Jade kicked and protested, trying to get out of their firm grasp. She was the best agent Mr. Hale had! Jade West didn't get caught by the enemy! No way! _This isn't happening,_ she thought as the men paid no mind to her attempts to escape.

All at once, the blaring alarm ceased, leaving the fading tunnel in complete silence as two other men appeared before Jade. Both she recognized: one from the pictures of Professor Carver back at the CIA, and the other from the gala in Paris.

Jade gasped as the boy she had met just a few days prior stepped forward, grinning in the dim light. At once, everything clicked.

"YOU!" she yelled. Jade lunged for him, teeth bared, before the guards yanked her back harshly.

"Take her to the holding room," she heard the Professor tell the workers, as the room grew fainter. "We'll get some answers out of her."

With Cat still screeching frantically in her ear, Jade allowed herself to be dragged off, as her eyes slowly closed, and everything around her went black.

**I'm sorry this one is so short! Just seemed like a good place to cut it. More soon!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Back at the CIA, Cat was in hysterics.

"Mr. Hale!" she screeched, tearing down the long tiled hallway. She felt as if she had never moved faster in her life, especially in heels. But Cat didn't care. All she could think about was the fact that Jade's life was on the line. "Mr. Hale!"

Cat burst into the supervisor's office and found him at his desk, doing paperwork.

"Cat, you know it's not proper protocol to barge into my room unannounced. I could have been-"

"Jade's in trouble!" the redhead blurted out, fear in her eyes.

"What?" Mr. Hale asked, now concerned.

"Jade's in trouble!" Cat repeated urgently. "She called me from inside Carver's lab. Someone tripped a siren and set her off. She was hysterical, pleading for my help, and then eventually wouldn't answer me and I heard other voices in the background!"

Mr. Hale remained silent for a moment. Then he spoke. "There's nothing we can do."

"But sir!" Cat protested.

"Cat, I'm serious. If Jade's as good of a spy as I think she is, she can figure this one out on her own. We can't do anything to help her as of this point, it's too dangerous."

"But sir!" Cat pleaded again. "She could be killed."

Mr. Hale sighed. "She took an oath, Cat," he said, looking into the smaller girl's brown eyes. "It's a risk all agents have to take."

Cat bit her lip, trying not to let tears fall.

Mr. Hale sighed. "I'm sorry, Cat."

The girl let out a strangled sob before turning and fleeing from the office.

/

Jade groaned, and opened her eyes. Her head felt like someone had slammed a brick into it. _Or I fell on one, _she thought to herself. Looking around, she found herself lying on a concrete floor in a cold, dark room. Pushing herself up to a sitting position, Jade looked around. Something in the corner caught her eye.

Beck was standing in the corner of the cell, leaning against the wall. His arms were crossed accusingly, his stare cold and unforgiving as he looked her right in the eye.

Anger flared up inside of Jade again. Before she knew it, she had pushed herself to her feet, marched across the cell, and slapped Beck across the face.

"You filthy LIAR!" she screeched at him, as his hand flew to his cheek.

Beck scoffed at her. "I could say the same for you, _Natalia_," he pointed out, rubbing his face.

"Big deal, I was undercover. You knew who I was, and acted like you had NO IDEA!" Jade yelled again, furious.

Beck seemed unfazed, cocking his head to the side in interest. "Are you really mad at me, Jade, or mad at yourself for getting caught and not guessing my real identity?"

Stupid bastard had hit it on the head. Jade let out a furious shriek and stomped to the other side of the cell, sliding down against the opposite wall to sit with her knees pulled to her chest.

"Why are you here?" she mumbled quietly, her voice sore.

Beck pushed himself off the wall and came forward. "Carver wanted to make sure your head wasn't seriously banged up. If it was, we would need to make some adjustments to the security program. So he told me to see if you woke up or not."

"Well, I'm glad your experimental design was successful," Jade said sarcastically, before putting her head between her knees and taking a deep breath. The pain was excruciating.

Beck watched her for a moment, before heading for the door to the cell. Without a word, he opened the door and exited, before letting it clang shut behind him. Jade didn't even look up.

Beck headed down the hallway before tramping up the concrete, winding stairwell to the lab upstairs. Only when his footsteps faded did Jade look up. The cell was dark. The room was cold. She was all alone. In a jail. In the enemy's lab.

She felt like a failure.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

She must have fallen asleep at some point, for Jade awoke to the sound of a small beep in her ear: the Bluetooth, signaling that Cat was calling her.

"Hello?" she answered sleepily, sitting up. Her head felt lighter. Whatever possible concussion she had had seemed to be gone.

"Jade, thank God you're alive!" An emotional Cat echoed through her ear. "You have no idea how bad you scared me yesterday."

"Sorry," Jade managed, trying to wrap her head around reality again.

"Where are you? Are you hurt? What happened?" Cat began firing questions faster than a machine gun.

It all exhausted Jade, who let her head drop to the floor again, welcoming the cool concrete against her cheek.

"I'm fine, Cat," she droned tiredly.

The rapid fire ceased. "You don't sound fine," the redhead replied, concerned.

In truth, Jade felt utterly defeated. She had never felt more vulnerable and inexperienced on a mission before. "I'm just tired, Cat. I hit my head really hard, and Beck pissed me off, and-"

"Wait, who's Beck?" Cat asked.

"Carver's right hand man. Thanks for warning me about him, by the way," Jade said sarcastically. "I mean, I know you trust me and all, but I could have used the help, Cat."

"Jade, what are you talking about?" Cat said.

"BECK! Beck freaking Oliver, Cat. You know, the guy at the gala that I almost blew my cover on! YOU didn't tell me who he was!" Jade screeched into the headset.

Cat's clacking keyboard echoed faintly in the background. "Jade, that's impossible. I did a background check on the guy, like I always do. And I'm rechecking it now. He's not in the system!"

Jade sat up. "He's not?"

"No!" Cat insisted. "I would have let you know if he was dangerous. We have no records of him whatsoever. Carver's good, Jade."

The dark haired spy let out a big breath. "I'm sorry, Cat. I didn't mean to get mad at you. I'm just a bit stressed, being in this situation and all."

"It's okay, Jade. I understand. But are you sure you're okay? You're not hurt?"

"I'm fine. I hit my head on something during the attack, and it hurt for a while. But I think I slept whatever it was off," Jade told her.

"Where are you?"

"In a jail somewhere in Carver's lab. Although he called it a holding room," Jade scoffed.

Cat let out a breath. "Okay. I'm gonna help you out of this, Jade. We can do it!"

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. Mr. Hale told me there was nothing we can do, but if there's one thing I learned in all my training from headquarters, it's that you don't abandon your partner," Cat said confidently.

Jade was impressed. Little Cat, going against her bosses' orders just to stick by a friend.

"Well, thanks, Cat. I could probably use some help."

**I am DROWNINGG in schoolwork, plus the fact that homecoming and halloween are coming up, and that I'm probably failing chemistry. Logan from BTR should tutor me... I'll try my best to update as much as I can!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Beck sat back in the small security room where he had originally found Jade in the tunnel. There were various camera setups on the screen in front of him, and his vision was trained on one showing footage from Jade's holding cell.

"Anything?" Carver asked, entering the room.

"No," Beck replied, not turning around. "She was asleep for a while, and now she's just..sitting there. Talking to herself or something."

"Hmm," Carver said, coming up behind Beck to watch the footage for himself. Their captive was indeed just sitting on the floor of her cell against the wall.

"Anything else of interest I should know about?" he asked his assistant.

Beck shrugged. "She slapped me."

The Professor had to stifle a laugh. "Really?"

"Yeah. She was pissed that she didn't know who I was at the gala."

"So our firewall on the tracker was a success?" The professor asked.

Beck nodded. "I didn't come up in the system. Her little partner had no idea."

"Perfect." Carver sounded pleased, and turned to leave. "Go down and see her later…I want as much information out of her as possible," he called over his shoulder.

"Yes, sir," Beck replied. His only answer was the heavy metal door clanging shut behind his boss.

/

"What weapons do you have on you?" Cat asked Jade.

"Umm," the dark haired spy felt around on her uniform. "All of them."

"Beck didn't take them off you?" Cat asked, curious.

Jade shrugged. "Evil or not, boys are still stupid."

Cat agreed. "Records show that Hale gave you a laser shooter pen. Can you find it?"

"Right here," Jade said, locating the gadget with ease.

"Perfect. See if you can train it on the wall. It is an escape gadget," Cat instructed.

Jade stood up and did as her partner said, drawing a neat circle on the wall with her laser. After it was completed, she shut off the beam, expecting the wall to fall in like it had done in training camp.

But it didn't.

"What the hell?" Jade said, going over to the wall and pushing it. The stone didn't budge.

"What happened?" Cat asked over the line.

"The laser didn't work."

"WHAT? That's impossible. That pen was designed to break through concrete and harder. It should've worked fine!"

"Well, it didn't." Jade flopped down on the ground again. "Now what?"

Cat hesitated. "I'm not sure. I'll have to do more research and get back to you. In the meantime, make sure you have your sunglasses on you at all times. That way you will know if someone has a weapon."

"Cat, how am I supposed to wear sunglasses in a cold dark cell and not look like a total freak?" Jade was losing her patience.

"Make something up! I gotta go, Hale's coming." With a click, Cat was gone.

**I write this story on my computer at school, so my updates will probably be during the week when I have school computer access. However, I already had this one copied onto ff, so I decided to let you guys have it since you all are so amazing and I love the support you give me!**

**I know my chapters are short, and I wish they could be longer, but that's just not how I write for some reason...idk. They're just short. But I don't leave you guys hanging too much, do I?**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

**A/N: I changed the rating for language. No big.**

**I've had some subtle hints from you guys to lengthen the chapters a bit. Sooo, I'm keeping them all around 1000 words for now. That should do it. Inevitably, this may make it harder for me to update on a regular basis…..who knows, maybe not. Also, a quick apology to you guys for _this_ long of a wait – I was without power for a week due to a snowstorm that toppled trees all over my town, then I had writers block, first quarter ended at school…. I'll try to make my updates at least once a week, unless I tell you otherwise.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious. Only Carver and Hale are mine. And they both suck.**

"Cat!" Jade flopped back down on the floor to the cell, exasperated once she heard no answer from her friend. Suddenly, the sound of heavy boots clomping down concrete stairs echoed throughout the cell, bouncing off the walls and into Jade's head until Beck appeared at the front of the cell.

"Go away," Jade told him darkly.

Beck paid no attention and instead opened the door with a clank and stepped inside. "I've been sent down here on orders."

"Like I care," Jade shot back from her position on the ground.

Again, Beck didn't seem fazed by her anger, and just made his way over to the spot by the wall where Jade had found him upon waking up the day before.

"So," he said, resting comfortably against the wall. "Why exactly are you here, Jade?"

She scowled. "Because a douche named Beck locked the door."

He strode over to her and came down to the floor, so his eyes were level with hers. "You're here for a reason, Jade. And you were at that gala for a reason, too. Who did you talk to there? What did they tell you about us?"

"Beck, you could hold a gun to my head and I still wouldn't tell you anything," she said, still looking into his eyes. Jade wasn't scared at all.

Beck said nothing for a moment. "That can be arranged," he answered finally, standing up again and making his way back over to the door.

"Last chance," he said over his shoulder on the way out. "You wanna talk?"

Jade said nothing.

/

"Well?" Carver asked impatiently when Beck entered his office.

"She's not giving, Sir. And I'm not gonna bother, I know she's beyond stubborn. We should just shoot her and get it over with," Beck told his boss.

The Professor sat back in his chair, deep in thought. "No."

"No?" Beck asked, confused.

"We're not going to shoot her. That's a valuable resource we have downstairs, Beck," Carver informed him. Before the boy could answer, he stood up and walked around his desk to the front. "I got some lab results back today from my associates. They were testing the effects on the new and improved version of netracia I just created, which I'm sure is the reason Miss West has arrived."

"And…?" Beck asked, curious.

The Professor smiled at his assistant. "What does netracia do, Beck?" he asked.

"Burn everything it comes into contact with," Beck answered immediately.

"Precisely. Although, after some thinking, I realized that my chemical is no more powerful than liquid nitrogen. What good could that possibly be to anyone, when my invention has already been invented?"

"Not too good," Beck answered, trying to wrap his head around what the Professor was saying.

"So, I redesigned it to see what else I could come up with." Carver turned around and took a sheet of paper off the top of his desk before handing it to Beck.

Curiously, the boy scanned the paper marked _Lab Results_ before glancing back up at his boss. "Mind control?"

Carver grinned. "My associates confirmed that the new formula I created will brainwash the victim when used correctly. It's less mild as well, so it won't burn anything."

"So we're going to brainwash Jade?" Beck asked, starting to catch on.

"She's one of the most experienced agents out there, Beck. If we take her down this way, she'll have no choice but to tell us everything she knows. Plus, I can gain another pair of hands as well."

Beck glanced back down at the sheet of Lab Results he was still holding. _Antidote:_ reverse coding for netracia.

He looked back up at his boss. "Sounds like a plan to me."

Meanwhile…

"So you have nothing that can help me escape?" Jade asked Cat in desperation. "I've been stuck in here for days, Beck is driving me insane, and if I don't get out, it'll be my death sentence. You need to help me!"

"Jade, I'm trying!" Cat told her friend. "It's a bit hard for me when I can't use Mr. Hale as a reference. Need I remind you that he doesn't know about any of this? I'm not supposed to be helping you, you know."

Jade sighed, knowing her friend was right.

Cat continued. "As of now, I don't have anything that can help you. If you can just hang on another day or so, I think I have a lead that we can use."

"Thanks, Cat," Jade said gratefully. "You're the best."

She had just barely hung up when she heard Beck coming back down to see her.

"You're wasting your breath," she called to him, once hearing the footsteps down the stairs. "I'm not telling you anything. And I'm not scared of you either."

"Admirable, Jade. Not being scared of the one who has the power to kill you," Beck said, coming into view.

Beck could tell by the fear that flickered through her eyes that she hadn't really considered that possibility. But she refused to let it show, regardless.

"I doubt you're enough of a man to kill me," she replied without missing a beat.

"You'd be surprised at what I'm capable of doing, Jade," Beck told her, grabbing his keys from the nail on the wall.

Without a word, he turned on his heel and made his way back up the stairs, leaving Jade alone in silence.

Still rooted in her sitting position on the floor, Jade turned away from the cell door and dropped her head on her knees again. She could feel her throat start to constrict and her eyes water.

"No," she told herself out loud. "I won't cry. I'm stronger than that."

But as she dropped her head to her knees again, the tears spilled over. Once a top secret agent, well respected by her peers and supervisor, now nothing but a failure. Captured, with no way out. How pathetic was that?

So Jade let herself cry, but only because the cold walls and floor were the only ones that could hear her.

**Major thanks to ****InfinityForever7****for the new plot idea you will read about from now on. I'm always open to ideas from you guys, for any story, and this was a great one! Check out her work – and her icon is adorable. x3**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**Thanks to everyone who dismissed my concern about lengthening chapters – it's good to know that you don't mind either way. **

Jade didn't know how long she stayed in the fetal position on the floor, but the beeping in her ear from the Bluetooth was the only thing that made her get up.

"Cat?" she asked, pushing long dark curls out of her eyes.

"Jade! I think I have something that can help you escape!"

"Really?" At once the young spy was filled with hope and determination again.

"Remember the pen we tried to use on the wall earlier?" Cat asked.

"Yeah, don't remind me."

"I figured out it has a homing device on it. I can control it here from headquarters!" Cat related, excitement filling her voice.

"So?" Jade asked, bored.

Cat kept going. "It means, I can boost the strength of the laser myself!"

Jade's eyes widened. "So that means…"

"Yes!" Cat squealed. "I can get you out of there!"

Jade stood up, energy blazing through her once discouraged mind. "Well, then fix it now so I can come home!"

"I just did," Cat said, satisfied. "Go ahead, draw your escape tunnel."

"Don't need to tell me twice." Jade turned to face the wall, pulling out her shooter pen as she did so.

_Here goes nothing,_ she thought, training the device on the wall and drawing a neat circle.

Like a miracle, the thick stone fell in with a thump once she completed the circle. Immediately, Jade was blasted with bright light coming from the outside world: she had been in the dark for so long, it physically hurt her eyes.

"Cat!" she yelled. "It worked!"

"Seriously? Go, Jade!" her assistant laughed. "Go on, get out of there. I'll send the helicopter for you right now."

Jade took a deep breath and started to climb through the tunnel. Suddenly, a shrill alarm bell sounded. The noise was almost worse than the light that had met her eyes only seconds before.

"What was that?" Cat asked, anxious.

"I don't know!" Jade asked, panicked. Her eyes widened in fear. "Shit! They're gonna know what I did!"

"Jade, get out of there! You have to go now!" Cat's voice was adamant in her ear as she frantically tried to climb through the entire tunnel. The alarm still wouldn't cease, and Jade swore she heard footsteps barreling down the stairs to the basement.

In her desperate attempt to be free again, Jade's foot hit the side of the tunnel as she climbed through, and she felt the poorly constructed wall shake beneath her. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked up just in time to see a huge piece of stone and cement dislodge right above her.

"What's going on here?" Jade whirled around to see Beck and three other henchmen behind her, pushing open the door to her cell and coming forward.

"JADE!" Cat's shrill voice was the last thing she heard before the rock detached and came sailing down. There was blinding pain, then nothing. Nothing at all.

/

When Jade opened her eyes again, she was met with pain ten times worse than the last time she was knocked out. The last thing she remembered was the rock coming down. _That'll do it_, she thought wearily.

Upon trying to move, Jade realized she couldn't. Her limbs seemed frozen in place, and when she looked around, she discovered why. Jade West, international spy for the CIA, was strapped to a chair in a room she had never seen before.

The first thing that came to her mind was Beck. That no good son of a bitch had taken her, unconscious, and made her immobile. And after searching more, she discovered that all of her weapons were gone. Except her Bluetooth.

_Stupid_, she thought to herself, and continued looking around. The room where she was in wasn't much brighter than the cell she had been kept in for the past few weeks. The only difference was the various desktops around her, each and every one covered with flasks and test tubes. It would take an idiot stupider than Beck to not know that it was the Professor's lab.

_But why am I here?_ Jade couldn't help but wonder why she had been moved to the lab in the first place. Wasn't this the room they were trying to keep her away from?

The next step was to call Cat. If she only had her hands…there was no way to push the home button on the little device that was still attached to her ear. Upon a bit of struggling and a lot of determination, Jade managed to use her shoulder to hit the home button, despite the ache in her skull upon moving. Satisfied, she settled back into the chair as the device rang.

"CIA," came Cat's weary and cautious voice on the other end. But Jade didn't hear it.

"Hello?" she asked into the phone, hearing the ringing stop.

"Jade? Oh my God you're okay! You're not dead!" Cat was on the verge of crying.

"Cat? Are you there? I need help, Cat! Please!" Jade called. She still couldn't hear Cat on the other end.

"Jade, I'm right here! Listen to me! Jade?" Cat called to her accomplice again and again, to no avail. For some reason, the spy couldn't hear her through the device.

Jade gave a heavy sigh of defeat. The rock that landed on her head must have screwed up the transmitter as well. She couldn't contact headquarters anymore.

Jade tried to hang up, but she couldn't seem to hit the home button again. She gave up and slumped back into the chair, leaving the Bluetooth as it was. Little did she know Cat was still trying to reach her on the other end.

"Jade! You called me, you have to be there!" Now Cat was crying. Something was wrong. Really, really wrong. After a few more desperate calls, the redhead hung up and turned away from her desk, wiping away her tears. Jade was alive, she knew it. But something had happened, and she needed to figure out what. The dark haired girl was more than an accomplice, she was a friend. And she needed Cat's help more than ever.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

**Thanks again to InfinityForever7! The beginnings of her amazing contributions were shown in the last chapter xD. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious. If I did, I'd be on set every day being besties with Liz Gillies, and probably not here writing FanFiction with you guys.**

Jade didn't know how long she had been in the mysterious lab all by herself, but a while after she had tried to call headquarters she was aware of heavy footsteps outside the door that was to her left. Her stomach churned, connecting the sound of the footsteps with Beck's approach. As much as she tried to mask it, Jade found that she was scared of him. And she desperately didn't want him to know that. That would mean he was winning. And she no matter what happened to her, Jade didn't want Beck to win.

The footsteps grew louder and the heavy metal door suddenly swung open, revealing a man with glasses and a lab coat on. Jade recognized him from the moment she had been captured, and from pictures she was shown at headquarters. He was Professor Carver.

She couldn't believe how long it seemed since she had sat down in Mr. Hale's office and learned about the man in front of her. Back then, she was so much stronger and confident. Now, she was close to broken. And it scared her more than ever. Jade didn't even know how much time had passed since her capture. It could have been weeks, or even months for all she knew. It was one long stretch of endless turmoil.

"Hello, Jade," the Professor grinned, coming closer. Jade noticed that Beck had quietly entered the room and was standing behind his boss. She refused to answer him.

"I was told you attempted another escape," the Professor continued, leaning against the table across from her.

Jade's eyes flickered to Beck, who was still standing by the door. His expression was unreadable.

"Well, we can't have that." Her eyes flickered back to Carver.

He continued. "If you had just co operated and told us what we wanted to know, we could have maybe made some compromises. But since you didn't…I have no sympathy for you."

Jade wanted to spit at him.

"Did Beck tell you about the lab results I got back yesterday? My new form of netracia is all ready to go." The Professor turned around to pick something up off the lab table behind him. "All I need is someone to test it on…" he turned around to reveal he held a large syringe filled with a clear liquid.

Jade's breath caught in her throat, but she still managed to remain calm. Panicking would only make things worse. She only hoped they couldn't see it in her eyes.

"Beck, since you made the capture, do you want to do the honors?" Carver turned to hold the syringe out to Beck, who was still leaning quietly against the door frame. The room was so dark, Jade would have probably forgotten he was there, except she could feel his eyes boring into her through her peripheral vision.

"Sure," the boy said easily, pushing himself off the door and stepping closer, taking the syringe before bending down to Jade's level in front of her.

"I gave you a chance," he told her, his voice low and unforgiving. "More than one, actually. And you refused to tell me." He gave a small laugh. "You should know Jade, that we don't mess around here. If there's something we want from you, you're gonna have to give it to us, one way or another." He held up the syringe to admire it for a second.

"I think you'll like it here. Everyone knows the fun is on our side," Beck told her.

"Wha-what do you mean?" Jade asked, speaking her first words.

Beck grinned. "You'll see," he said ominously, before rising to his full height again. Turning to his boss, Beck got a quick nod in confirmation before facing Jade again. Before she could react, the needle was in her arm, and Beck was slowly pushing the plunger, injecting the substance into her bloodstream.

It _burned_. Jade couldn't hold back a scream as she felt the chemical coursing through her veins, leaving a fiery path in its wake. She didn't even notice when Beck removed the needle and left to go stand next to the Professor, who was watching her intently. The pain was that bad.

The two stood there, watching as she screamed bloody murder. It felt like she was being eaten from the inside out. Bella's vampire bite seemed like child's play compared to what she was enduring. The pain climbed her shoulders, neck and face until it covered her entire body. Then, the chemical entered her mind, and Jade felt herself growing fainter and fainter by the second.

She would have gladly taken ten more rocks to the head over this. It seemed like her entire skull was burning down to nothing. As consciousness slowly left, Jade's entire mission seemed to flash before her eyes. _Who am I? Why am I such a failure at this? How will Cat cope? What's happening? What was Beck talking about? How long have I been here? Why am I so scared? I'm never scared. That's why I'm in the CIA! Why am I so scared? Why am I scared? Why….am….I…._

Jade's thoughts slowly turned to black as her body shut down, and her pulse slowed. She didn't know if this was the end or not. But she wasn't so sure how much she wanted to keep living, either.

**Sorry this one's a little shorter. I'm trying my best…..actually writing out the next installment right now! I'm so glad you all like this story. xD**

**P.S. If I have the beginnings of another Big Time Rush script that I'm thinking of posting, would anyone be interested in reading?**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

**Abby – So happy your sister is a fellow Rusher! All of the Big Time Rush stories I have written so far contain no slash (although at the end of the day I don't mind a little Kames…not sure if I could ever write it though!). Thanks for the feedback, and let your sister know that if I ever decide to post this story no one will be gay, just to her liking.**

**Also, I think as of now InfinityForever7 is officially my co-writer: her ideas are amazing!**

**On with the methods of torture favored by our lover Beck Oliver!**

Beck stood there watching as Jade slowly grew limp before him, the netracia taking over her system slowly and painfully. Only a twinge of regret flickered through his heart: he had learned over the years serving Carver that you can't feel guilty. The girl needed to be taught a lesson. If she was a good spy, she wouldn't have gotten caught it the first place. It was her own damn fault.

He watched intently as her screams faded, and her eyes slowly closed. The room seemed ghastly silent, but just for a moment. Then the Professor spoke.

"Untie her and bring her down to the cell again," he told Beck, no feeling in his tone whatsoever. "Then turn on the camera and let me know when she's up. I want to record how well this new stuff works." He strode towards the door and exited without another word, leaving Beck alone with the unconscious spy in front of him.

With a suppressed sigh, Beck stepped forward and proceeded to untie Jade, who was slumped over the back of her chair, out cold. He knew once she was awake again she'd be a different person. The Jade West he had known before was gone for good.

Once the straps were loosened, the girl almost slipped off the chair. Beck managed to support her enough to help her sit up again, before pushing the rest of the bonds away and easily lifting her into his arms. She was a lot lighter to carry than he had imagined.

With one hand under her head and the other around the back of her knees, Beck carried Jade fireman style out of the lab, and down the winding staircase to the cold, dark cell where she had been living for the past few weeks. Pushing the door open, Beck carefully deposited the victim on the floor of the cell, where she would remain until she woke up. As he straightened up, Beck's gaze traveled back down to Jade's face for a moment. He watched her sleep, the expression on her face peaceful despite the circumstances she had to endure before falling unconscious. Her long dark hair had fallen over her face on the journey down the stairs, and Beck crouched down again to gently brush it out of her eyes, revealing her long dark lashes closed over soft, pale skin.

The realization of what he was doing dawned on Beck, and he hurriedly stood up again and made his way out of the cell, refusing to look back at Jade. Clanging the wrought iron door shut and locking it, Beck tramped up the stairs again to turn on the camera.

/

Black. Dark. Nothing. That's all Jade could think of once her mind could function again. Everything she saw was dark, dull, and lifeless. Murky ink seemed to float under her eyelids. She didn't seem to have the strength to open them. She also discovered she was unable to move her body.

Still in a subconscious state, Jade tried to get her mind in working gear again, to no avail. As hard as she tried, she couldn't seem to bring her thoughts together and form a message to send to her limbs. She couldn't even seem to think properly – everything was confusing, and she kept trying to open her eyes. They wouldn't budge.

Jade's eyes grew heavy again, even though they were closed already. The murky darkness consuming her vision seemed to fade away as her brain failed her once again, and sleep overwhelmed her. She seemed to be drowning in exhaustion, in desperate need of a rest from only the strain it took in attempt to open her eyes and move around. Right before everything went blank, blinding pain shot through her system again, from head to toe. Her first urge was to scream. Her second was to open her eyes, sit up, and bang on the door until Beck came down to see what the matter was. But she couldn't, no matter how hard she tried. Then she shut down again, and the pain gradually faded along with any other sense she had retained.

/

At the CIA Headquarters, Cat was doing everything in her possible power to figure out what had happened to Jade. The poor little redhead was close to some sort of a mental breakdown – nothing she had tried was working, and she had no one to confide in or go to for help. Her only source of communication with Jade was failing her – no one was answering the Bluetooth.

_Cat? Are you there? I need help, Cat! Please!_ Jade's last words to her would be burned into her mind forever. It wasn't just the substance: the tone of her friend's voice was the scariest aspect of the plea. Even through the phone, Cat could tell that Jade was _terrified_.

Out of all the years Cat had worked with Jade, she admired the dark haired accomplice mostly because nothing ever seemed to faze her. Jade had been through thick and thin throughout her various missions, and she never seemed to panic or bat an eyelash at any hairy situation God seemed to throw her way. So when Jade sounded beyond scared on the other end of the line, Cat knew something had gone terribly wrong, and it scared her, too. For Jade to lose her confidence was a huge drop, and a serious situation.

"I have to do something," the redhead said aloud to no one. Her room at headquarters echoed in response. The petite girl paced back and forth across the carpet, wracking her brains trying to figure out what one lone girl in technology training could do to help an agent in a potentially fatal situation. After ten minutes of furious thought, Cat got an idea.

She rushed back to her computer and immediately started typing a mile a minute. The girl had a lead, and she was running with it. She just hoped that it wasn't too late to save Jade.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

**Check out my co-writer InfinityForever7!**

Beck was stationed in the corner of the security room, focused on the screen in front of him. Carver's trusty cameras were at work watching Jade's every move. Or lack of. Since Beck had deposited her on the cold floor, the girl had not moved an inch or opened her eyes. He felt it was a bit pointless, watching an immobile figure sleeping their life away on the floor – but he knew the Professor wanted an extremely accurate report on how his new chemical affected humans. Jade was the guinea pig.

The Professor himself entered the room, snapping Beck out of his deep train of thought.

"How's she doing?" he asked.

Beck shrugged. "Nothing to really report so far. She hasn't moved at all since I brought her back down there."

"Interesting…" Carver mulled over the news while coming over to see the evidence on the monitor.

"What exactly is our plan for when she wakes up?" Beck asked, looking up at his boss.

"Simple. We get some answers out of her," Carver replied. "You were keeping tabs on her at that gala. She was there to get answers from other international agents – information that we swore wouldn't get out. I need to find out exactly how much the other side knows. It could be crucial to our existence and success."

Beck nodded in response.

"Let me know the minute she's awake. We may have some serious…" Carver couldn't seem to think of a word. "…behavioral problems." He strode to the door and let himself out, leaving Beck in the dark, with nothing to do but watch the monitor like a hawk.

/

Cat crossed her fingers and prayed that her idea would work. If Mr. Hale wouldn't help her, then she would have to reach higher to get advice on what to do.

She had just recovered the information used to contact the Australian and European agents of the CIA – Robbie and Andre were their names, if she remembered correctly. The two had talked Jade through what they knew before she departed for the Himalayas. Maybe they could help to figure out where she was now. If she was okay. If she was even alive.

Cat pushed the negative thoughts out of her head and hit a button on her keyboard. The screen lit up as the call to Andre Harris connected. Cat leaned back, adjusting her headset.

"Andre Harris," a voice on the other end answered.

"This is Cat Valentine, technology officer at CIA America headquarters," she spoke into the headset. "My agent Jade West has gone down while on a mission, and I need your help to locate and rescue her. It's urgent."

"Jade West? That fiery dark haired girl I met in France?" Andre asked.

"That's her."

"What do you mean exactly by going down? What happened?" Andre's voice had a concerned tone.

"She was halfway through an escape attempt after a capture by the enemy, and failed. Hours later I received a call from her Bluetooth, and heard her calling for my help on the other end of the line. But she couldn't hear me reply, the transmitter must have broken during her failed escape," Cat reported.

"Have you alerted your supervisor?"

"Yes. He doesn't want anything to do with it anymore. His only reply was that Jade took an oath, and there was nothing we could do if she knew death penalty was highly possible. But I can't just leave her Andre. She's more than just my partner, she's my friend too. I've never heard her so scared in my life." Cat was near tears.

There was a pause before Andre spoke again.

"Well Cat," he started. "Your supervisor is right. All agents sign oaths before going out on missions, confirming that they are aware there is no garuntee they will stay alive."

Cat put her head in her hands.

"But," Andre continued. "Your friend may be in extreme danger. And I will help you to rescue her, I promise."

Cat breathed a sigh of relief. "Really? Andre, thank you so much!"

"Let me contact Robbie Shapiro," Andre said. "He's our Australian agent."

"Yes, I'm aware," Cat said, taking a deep breath as Robbie was added to the conversation.

"Hello?"

"Robbie, this is Andre and Cat Valentine, from CIA America technology center. Jade West, the agent we met in France, is down on a mission and she and Cat need our help to get her back. Will you accept?" Andre asked.

"Jade West? She's in trouble? Of course I will help!" Robbie said. "What can I do?"

"Cat, tell us everything you know," Andre instructed. "Jade's location, who she's been in contact with, any injuries you know she's sustained, any possible escape routes, and anything else you think we might need to know."

"She's in the Himalayas at Professor Carver's lab," Cat replied. "Andre, you briefed her on how to arrive safely."

"Ah yes, now I remember," he said. "Go on."

"She made it halfway through the tunnel entrance when she was captured and led to a holding cell. I believe she spent the majority of her time there, but may have been moved around the lair as well. Jade's been talking to me on the Bluetooth, as well as the Professor and his assistant, Beck Oliver."

"Beck Oliver?" Robbie asked, shocked. "He's still alive?"

"Yes, Jade's told me all about him," Cat said uncertainly. "What's the problem?"

She could hear furious typing from the other end of the line. "My reports say that Beck Oliver was killed off in a mission completed two years ago," Andre said.

"Mine, too," Robbie added. "He jumped out of a plane free falling to Mexico after it got hit with a grenade. His body was never found."

"Beck Oliver is still alive," Cat insisted. "He's not in the system, you are correct. I couldn't look him up as a warning to Jade. But he's still here, working for the enemy, and may be torturing Jade as we speak!"

"Incredible," Robbie murmured. "In that case, we must get on it right away."

"Of course," Cat agreed. "I don't think she's talked to anyone else. Jade's had multiple minor injuries to the head that may have resulted in concussions. I don't know if anything else has harmed her. We tried to create an escape route with a laser pen, which failed. But the walls are weak enough to break, with enough power. I think that's just about all I know. She has her weapons taken away as well except for the faulty Bluetooth."

"Thank you, Cat," Andre said. "You've been a big help."

"I'm on my way out the door now," Robbie said. Cat heard a door slam in the background, as if on cue. "Cat, be ready for pickup by an official CIA helicopter."

"Where are you coming from?" she questioned, shutting down her computer and grabbing her iPad.

"We're both still in France," Andre answered. "I'm leaving now as well. Look for us at the heli-pad on your destination. Over and out, Cat."

She hit the button on her headset in farewell, and grabbed a few more essentials before sneaking out of the CIA. If Mr. Hale knew what she was doing, he would have her job and her head. Cat knew she was breaking too many rules to count, and going against several codes, contracts she had signed, and was ruining any sort of status she had gained in her low position at the CIA. But saving Jade's life was worth it, and Andre and Robbie seemed to think so too.

**Hope everyone had an awesome holiday! Happy New Year!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious or any of the characters.  
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**Chapter 19**

With almost no warning, Jade's eyes flew open.

It was almost so shocking that the girl had to collect herself for a second. Being yanked out of a dark, dreamless state so abruptly was a bit of a change from the constant struggle she had had before to just move at all. But it was like she didn't have a choice - her eyes just decided to open on their own, with no consent from her.

Jade blinked a few times, trying to figure out where she was and what had happened to her. Trying to focus, she managed to gather that she was back in her cell in the basement, deposited on the floor like a heap of mulch.

_Thanks, Beck_, she thought dryly, pushing herself up on to her elbows in order to brush hair out of her face. Then she slowly managed to bring herself up to a sitting position.

Once she was upright, all the memories of the last time she had been conscious (Jade had no idea when exactly it was) came flooding back to her. She groaned and dropped her head in her hand in her hands upon remembering the pain she experienced. Flexing her joints, flashes of that very pain ran through the stiff muscles, but it wasn't nearly as bad as the initial injection. It was defiantly more tolerable.

_So what is this stuff supposed to do to me?_ she wondered, rotating her neck around slowly. Aside from the aching bones, sore joints, pain flashes, and the fact that her head would probably never be the same after this mission was over, Jade felt completely fine.

_Weird,_ she thought, and decided to try standing up. After a few attempts to get her muscles back in working order, she succeeded, and began to slowly walk around and decide what to do with herself.

Jade hadn't made more than one lap around her cell before the all too familiar footsteps belonging to Beck started coming down the concrete stairs. The fact that this so called illegal weapon coursing through her bloodstream had apparently no effect on her gave Jade new confidence. Beck no longer scared her - he had tortured her to no end and she had made it out with a only few understandable scratches. So when he opened her door and stepped inside the cell, all Jade did was lean against the wall and cross her arms over her chest, training an accusing stare on the boy in front of her.

"You're awake," Beck commented, shutting the door behind him.

"Thanks for noticing," she responded, her voice emotionless.

"How do you feel?" Beck came closer.

"Why do you care?" Jade retorted. She may not have been scared of him, but there still was hatred for what he did to her.

"I have to know how well this stuff works. Boss's orders," Beck replied.

Jade snorted. "So just to get some data. I'm a lab rat."

"If you wanna look at it that way, sure," Beck said with a casual shrug.

Jade regarded him for a second. "I don't think I'm gonna tell you," she said finally.

"Really?" Beck came even closer. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Jade held her ground as he came so close that he was looking directly into her eyes.

"Jade," Beck said firmly, holding her gaze. "Answer me."

Something in Jade's mind flipped. At once, all the confidence and determination she held against Beck vanished. "My head hurts a lot, and I'm sore. But it's not too bad," she answered truthfully. Once done speaking, she took in a sharp intake of air. What had just happened?

Beck smiled. "Perfect. Thank you," he said, before grabbing her arm and leading her towards the door.

"Where are we going?" Jade asked, trying to pull her arm away in protest.

Beck's grip just got tighter. "Upstairs. We have a meeting to get to," he told her, opening the door of the cell with his free hand and going upstairs, close to dragging her behind him.

/

Three flights of stairs and two hallways later, Beck led Jade into a room she thought had never seen before, although it was so dark she couldn't tell. Was there a single light switch in this place?

"Jade, so nice to see you," a voice said from the corner. The Professor stood there, hands in his pockets, smiling at her in a way that made her pissed.

"Wish I could say likewise," Jade replied. Beck threw her forward, causing her to hit the ground in front of Carver. The broken Bluetooth in her ear clattered to the floor in front of her. Carver leaned down and snatched it before Jade could react, then stood up and turned the device over and over in his hands, not saying a word.

"Jade, have a seat," Carver gestured to another chair across from the one's he and Beck were now sitting in. He kept holding on to the Bluetooth.

Deciding to choose her battles wisely, Jade reluctantly got up and took a seat.

"What do you want?" she asked him, pushing her hair out of her eyes.

"What we wanted the day you arrived here," Carver replied. "I believe Beck asked you why you were at that gala in France, and what you know about us. You wouldn't oblige the easy way, so we needed to make some...changes."

Jade glared at both of them. "Your "changes" didn't work. I feel fine, and I'm still not telling you anything." She sat back in her chair in satisfaction.

Carver leaned closer to her. "I believe I we asked what you were doing in France, Jade. And you will answer me, truthfully."

The switch in Jade's mind flipped again, and before she could stop herself, the information came pouring out, like a kid throwing up in school with no warning. "Mr. Hale sent me there to meet agents from our Australian and European branches. They briefed me with more information on this mission."

"Excellent," Carver leaned back in his chair and relaxed. "And what did they tell you?"

"Andre Harris told me how to get here without being noticed," Jade continued. "He said to hang glide here and then break in using the code by the door, so the helicopter wouldn't be noticed. Robbie Shapiro gave me gloves that protect you against netracia, which I don't have anymore," Jade glanced around. "He said to wear them anytime I'm handling the stuff, and my goal in this mission is to arrest you and shut down this lab." Jade gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth. What had she just done?

"Thank you, Jade," Carver told her with a smile, standing up. "Destroy this," he told Beck, dropping the Bluetooth in his open palm. "And put her back downstairs. She'll make a great addition to the team, once she realizes that she's not in the CIA anymore."

He left the room in silence.

**I hope that wasn't too "Ella Enchanted" for anyone. This story is harder to write than I thought it would be.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

**Wow! Over 100 reviews for this story - I can't thank you all enough, especially my co-writer InfinityForever7. (Check out her stuff!) I'm so glad you guys enjoy my writing, even if sometimes I don't.**

Once safely in the helicopter with Robbie and Andre, Cat thanked them both again for their help and the three took off for the Himalayas. As the snow covered peaks came into view, a thought popped into Jade's head.

"We can't land the copter here," she objected as Andre started to descend. " It's too risky. Jade had to hang glide from the bottom of the mountain."

"We're going to try to find a back entrance," Robbie explained. "If the lab is laid out the way I think it is, there should be ample landing space behind the mountains, near where most labs contain holding cells."

Cat breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay," she agreed, and sat back in her seat, trying to relax as the helicopter curved around the mountain. She was so thankful to have more experienced agents with her. Who would have thought of a back entrance?

/

"Hands OFF!" Jade screeched, annoyed as Beck shoved her back into the cell. "I'm not an animal!" she snapped, rubbing her arm where his grip had become painful.

"Yeah, yeah," he answered absentmindedly, not even looking at her as he went back upstairs.

Alone in the lab, Beck sat down at a lab stool and dropped the Bluetooth on the counter in front of him. The small metal device was dented and dingy. It had obviously been through a lot.

_How could I have missed this?_ he asked himself. All of Jade's other weapons had been confiscated, but underneath her thick black hair, this one must have stayed hidden. Curious, Beck picked up the Bluetooth and pressed the home button. Because Cat had left headquarters, there was no answer from the other end.

He assumed it was broken, yet he couldn't bring himself to destroy it like his boss had requested. And the more he looked at the little device, the harder it became to just drop it to the floor and swiftly crush it under his combat boot. To him, it was a sign. Somehow, the homing device had missed his inspection. Out of all her weapons, the one that had managed to stay with Jade was the one that got her in contact with safety, and escape. Sure, it was broken, but it still held importance. And it bothered him.

Beck couldn't stop thinking about the last time he had seen Jade asleep, unconscious after her supposed lethal injection. Something about her was so...captivating. Captivating enough to make him lean over and gently brush the hair out of her face, before he realized what he was doing.

Sure, she was a pretty girl. Her feisty will to defy him at any moment was probably the most attractive thing about her. But Beck was strong too, and he simply wouldn't allow himself to think of her any other way than the enemy. What kind of a right hand man would he be, falling for her? _That_ was weak.

Still, he pocketed the Bluetooth and moved on without breaking it. For some reason, he just couldn't bring himself to.

/

The helicopter safely landed in a large, flat patch of land behind the mountains. Cat, Andre, and Robbie descended out of the machine and regrouped to discuss a game plan.

"Okay, first things first. Everyone synch Bluetooths, so we can communicate with each other upon splitting up," Andre instructed.

Cat swallowed. "Splitting up"

"You'll be fine," Robbie assured her. "It's a lot safer back here than it is where Jade was, I promise."

Cat nodded in return.

"Let's all just start looking around and seeing what we can find. Anything that may help us find Jade is a good start," Andre suggested, and the three split up to start investigating.

/

Jade sat on the floor of her cell, up against the wall, when she heard Beck coming downstairs again.

"Is it good exercise, going up and down all the time?" she called sarcastically.

"It's actually quite annoying, but I don't call the shots around here," Beck answered, appearing around the corner.

"Good," Jade said, satisfied. "Now-" Her words were cut short when an unusual noise was heard coming from the wall of the cell. Both she and Beck watched as a loose brick in the wall was slowly pushed in, revealing a rectangular stream of light coming from the outside world.

A small gasp was heard from the other side, and then a giggle. "It worked!" a female voice exclaimed.

Jade's stomach flipped over. She could've recognized that voice anywhere. Cat!

A pair of big brown eyes appeared in the hole. "Jade?" Cat called, then saw the very girl standing in the corner. "JADE! You're okay! Don't worry, I have help, we'll get you out of there in no time!"

Jade was overjoyed at seeing her friend. Freedom was on the horizon! "Oh, Cat! You're here! You-"

"Don't," Beck's voice was low and serious from the corner, where Cat couldn't see him. "speak to her." And at once, Jade couldn't, no matter how much she wanted to.

"Jade? What happened? Talk to me, please!" Cat called.

"Come over here," Beck said, his tone never changing. Jade obediently turned and walked over to him.

"That's better," he said, satisfied. "Follow me." He turned and headed upstairs, and Jade had no choice but to follow, leaving Cat alone, on the other side of the wall, feeling like she had been slapped in the face by her best friend.

**It might be just a little shorter than usual, but I am getting them out faster. =)**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

**I love you all! Your reviews make my day. =))) P.S. midterms are coming up - gross. Forgive me if I'm a bit MIA. I'll try my best.**

Cat was in utter shock over what had just happened. How could she? Jade, her best friend, who she had nearly been sick over saving, who she risked her job and reputation for, along with the jobs and reputations of other agents, had just ignored her.

It was heartbreaking.

Never in her life had Cat believed that Jade was so weak that she would obey the enemy. She always thought the fire in the agent's soul would prevail over any order given. And she had been proven wrong. Jade had ignored her, right in front of her eyes, and listened to Beck instead.

Cat stepped down from the rock she had been balanced on upon finding the loose brick in the wall, then sat on it and put her head in her hands.

"Find anything?" Robbie asked, rounding the corner. He saw her position and immediately became concerned. "Cat? What's wrong?

Cat lifted her head, tears streaking her cheeks. "It's Jade."

"Did you find her?"

"I took a brick out of the wall and was able to see inside her cell. She was there! But...she ignored me. She listened to Beck instead. I can't believe it, Robbie," Cat said.

"Cat, you should have alerted us the second you found a lead!" Robbie said, trying to hide his exasperation, since she was so upset.

"What's going on?" Andre asked, jogging around the corner. "I heard your voices."

"Cat found Jade in the cell, through the wall," Robbie informed him, pointing to the whole in the wall. "But she was under the influence of the enemy."

Andre cursed under his breath. "She was?"

Cat nodded. "She didn't listen to me. And she followed him out of the room. That's not like her, Andre!" She burst into tears.

Robbie stayed quiet for a moment. "There's not much left we can do," he said sadly.

"No," Cat looked up at him in horror. "We have to do something. I know it's hard to believe, but the real Jade is still there somewhere. She's silently begging for our help. We need to keep going, please!" she begged.

Andre sighed. "I believe her," he said to Robbie. "This agent had something special."

"So what do we do now?" Robbie asked him.

"We try to get in somehow without tripping an alarm," Andre mused. "But how?"

They all though for a moment.

Robbie snapped his fingers. "I got it!" He took off running back to the helicopter. Curious, Cat and Andre followed.

They found him digging around in the back of the copter and eventually emerging with a small black gadget, about the size of a cell phone.

"This is an alarm detector," he explained. "I've never used it in a mission before. But it should detect any active alarms within a 100 yard radius and block them so they don't go off."

Andre hesitated. "You've never used it before?"

"No," Robbie said truthfully.

"What if it doesn't work?"

They all were silent for a moment. "What if it does?" Robbie said softly.

They all knew it would be worth it.

/

Jade followed Beck upstairs and into the lab. He slammed the door behind them, desperately trying to hide his panic and keep his cool. The CIA was right outside!

He began to pace back and forth, trying to think of what to do and how to let the Professor know, and didn't notice Jade slowly walking towards the darkest corner of the lab and breaking down into tears. She stood with her back against the wall and slowly slid down until she was sitting with her knees drawn up to her chest and just let herself cry.

Beck's train of thought was broken when he heard Jade crying. And it wasn't just sniffles and a lone tear - the girl was full out sobbing. It was a bit shocking to Beck at first - he had never seen her this...broken before. He was surprised to feel a pang of...guilt and sadness for her. He had made her like this. He was the reason why she was broken.

Hesitantly, Beck stepped closer to her, until he was standing right in front of her. She didn't even notice he had come closer until he was right there. She didn't care that he was seeing her at her worst. After what he had made her do to Cat, there was close to no fight left in her. He had taken over any willpower she had left.

"Jade?" he asked softly. She flinched upon hearing his voice, and he felt even worse.

Beck came down to her level, silent, and reached for her hands.

Jade shank away. She had become more scared of him than ever. "Wh-what do you want?" she asked, trembling.

Beck took her wrists, only firmly because she was trying to pull away. Once she gave up, his touch immediately softened, and he slid his hands down until they were resting in hers.

"I can make it better," Beck said, looking into her eyes.

Jade took a shaky breath. "You can?" He nodded.

What if it was a trap? She searched his brown eyes for any lies or betrayal, and found only kindness. Something had changed.

She decided it might be worth it, and took a deep breath. "Okay," she agreed quietly.

Beck looked at her for a moment, then took his hands out of hers and gave her a gentle hug. "I'm so sorry."


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

After Jade's sobs had subsided, Beck gently helped her stand up from her fetal position in the corner and led her over to a lab stool. It was there that confusion set in.

"I don't understand," Jade told him. "You can make it better?"

Beck nodded from his position standing in front of her. "I can reverse the coding on the netracia. You won't have to obey anyone anymore," he came closer and took her hands in his again.

Although hesitant, Jade didn't shy away. "I'll be myself again?"

He smiled. "Exactly."

She was speechless for a moment. "Well, thank you." It was all she could say for a moment. "But...why are you doing this?"

Beck sighed, trying to figure out how to word it. He dropped her hands and turned away from her, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know...it's just killing me to see you like this. When you were crying over there, Jade...I knew it was because of me. And that's horrible. I can't do that to you, no matter who I work for or what you are to me. I still can't believe I even had the guts to inject you with that shit in the first place." He walked over to a counter on the far side of the lab and rested his elbows on it, refusing to look Jade in the eye.

She remained silent until Beck had the courage to turn around again. "I know you may not believe that this isn't a trap," he said. "But...I don't know what else to say besides it isn't. I'm just as confused as you are, actually. All I know is that I can't let you stay this way any longer. I...I..." Beck grew frustrated, trying to find the right words. "I..care about you."

Jade blinked. What?

"You...you do?" she asked him.

Beck nodded after a moment. "Well, yeah. I guess I do."

"But what will the Professor say?" she had to know.

Fear crept into Beck's dark eyes at the possibility of his boss knowing what he was about to do. "You can't tell him, Jade. He can't know about this."

She had never seen him so panicked before. "Please, Jade. You're gonna have to act like you're still under the influence around him. Who knows what he'll do to us if he finds out."

Jade nodded. "Is he really that bad?"

"You have no idea," Beck said darkly. "He has no mercy."

/

"Is it working?" Cat asked Robbie.

The three were still out back near the parked helicopter. Andre and Cat were following Robbie around the area as he intently watched the small device in front of him, following every directive it gave.

"I think so." Robbie held the detector up higher. "It's picking up on a sensor right on the other side of the wall." The three stopped at the brick wall containing the lab.

"It is?"

"Yeah. Now if I hit this button..." Robbie pressed a button on the side of the controller. Nothing seemed to happen. "...That should have silenced it," he said, satisfied.

"So, how do we get it now?" Andre asked.

Cat was looking around the wall for more loose bricks. "Hey!" she exclaimed, pointing. Andre and Robbie looked.

Almost undetectable was a thin outline of a door in the brick wall. "An entrance..." Andre murmured.

"Way to go, Cat!" Robbie exclaimed. He started to push in the door.

"Wait!" Andre said, hesitating.

Cat and Robbie turned to him questioningly.

"What if the alarm didn't shut off?" he asked.

"Yeah, what's gonna happen to us?" Cat asked innocently.

"We'll probably be captured and have the same fate as Jade," Robbie admitted.

"Is it worth it?" Andre asked.

They all paused, then Cat nodded affirmatively. "Yes," she said boldly, and pushed open the door to reveal a long, dark hallway inside the lab. No alarm went off.

"It worked!" she gasped. "Robbie, your device works!"

He seemed a little taken aback as well. "Yeah, I guess it does!"

Andre peered inside the door. "This doesn't look too inviting," he noted.

Cat pretended not to hear him. The idea of Jade being so close to them was more inviting than ever, now that there was an actual entrance to the lab open to them.

She stepped inside the building, then turned around.

"Are you coming?" she asked the two.

Andre and Robbie looked at each other, before following her through the door. The three crept down the hallway, two agents and technology officer on a mission to save Jade West.

/

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Jade asked, watching Beck from her spot still on the lab stool.

"I think so," Beck replied, studying the labels on a few chemical flasks in front of him. "Carver gave me the lab results before we..." he couldn't even seem form the words of the torture he had thrust upon Jade.

She understood. "I got it."

Beck continued reading. "If I study it long enough I can probably figure out how to read it. His creations are pretty complex, but I've had practice."

"You've had practice making chemicals?" Jade asked him, curious. "I thought you were just his assistant." It was still amazing to her that she was having a casual conversation about the life of her enemy, like they had become overnight besties.

"Kind of. I'm technically an apprentice of his. I've been trained in the same methods you have, just not for the CIA. Carver found me after a failed mission I was on. The plane I was aboard crashed in Mexico, and everyone just assumed I was dead. No one even came looking for me." He turned away, and Jade couldn't read his expression.

"He found me and helped me recover again, then appointed me as an apprentice of his ways, so someday I could take over for him and let the chemical creation ways live on. Over the years, that vow just evolved into me being his assistant and doing whatever he wants, instead of me actually being taught things. But I've still picked up a few things here and there." Beck turned to Jade and grinned.

"What about your family?" Jade asked.

Beck grew quiet, and turned back to face the desk. "I don't know what happened to my parents," he said quietly. "I never heard from them after I went to school for agents. They said they'd keep in touch, but after I was admitted, I never spoke to them again."

He made his way over to a cabinet and took down a few more glass jars filled with different substances. "Carver's the closest thing I've had to a father figure since I lost mine at age twelve. I was basically an orphan for seven years."

Jade was speechless. "Wow," shes said after a moment. "I'm sorry."

Beck came back over to her. "It's okay," he shrugged. "I'm over it."

"But if he's the closest thing you've had to a father, why are you so set on going against him now?"

Beck had to think about that. "I don't know," he admitted. "I guess it's because I don't want to be like him when I'm his age. He's the closest thing I have to a role model, and when you think about that, it's pretty sad."

Jade smiled and stood up, making her way over to him. "You're a lot more than I ever thought you were, Beck Oliver," she told him, then hesitated. "I'm sorry I hated your guts."

Beck rubbed her arm. "It's okay," he told her, then turned back to his work.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

**OH. MY. GOD.**

**I'm so sorry guys! I know it's been a while. Life has been crazy - midterms, then STILL endless homework, college trips, stuff like that. My weekends have been booked to no end and I've had trouble fitting in time at school to write. Plus, ever since The Worst Couple I've had no bade-spiration. **I was heartbroken. HEARTBROKEN. Literally screaming at the TV for him to go after her. It was AWFUL! **I hope Dan puts them back together soon. If everyone just moves on with their lives I'll probably stop watching the show. Just a sayin.******

"So...what do we do now?" Andre asked.

Cat turned around to look at him incredulously. "You're asking me? I thought you were the one who knew about this hideout!"

The three were cautiously making their way deeper into the lab. So far, no one knew that they had successfully broken in.

"I am!" Andre protested. "But you're the one who wanted to do this in the first place. So I figured you must have some sort of a game plan." He shrugged.

"Oh." Cat honestly didn't think she would be this much in charge of the mission. "Well, then I think we should just try to find Jade. As quietly as we can, of course. Why waste time?"

Robbie nodded in agreement. "Andre, since you know this place the best, why don't you lead the way?"

Andre took the lead as the three rounded a corner in the hallway, coming face to face with a long row of cells. A musty smell grew stronger as they cautiously looked around, squinting due to the low light.

Cat whimpered quietly, and Robbie put an arm around her for comfort. "It's okay," he told her. "Everything's fine. No one's down here, see?"

The redhead nodded as Andre stopped a few feet in front of them. "There's a spiral staircase going upstairs over here," he noted, casting a glance upwards. "But I think we should look around down here a bit first."

Robbie and Cat agreed, and the three began to scope out the cells surrounding them. Thankfully, not one seemed to have a very gruesome appearance.

"This one has light coming from it," Robbie said, leading Cat towards it. The cell's wrought iron door was wide open, making it stand out from the others whose entrances were locked tight. The two stepped inside to look around, and Cat grabbed Robbie's arm.

"Look! That's the hole I made in the wall earlier!" she said, pointing. "That means..." Cat trailed off once she figured out the rest of the puzzle. "This is Jade's cell!"

She looked to Robbie, who nodded in confirmation. "We're getting closer," he told her.

"Nothing worth remembering in the others," Andre reported, joining his accomplices. "I say our next move is to go upstairs."

"If this is Jade's cell, then she must be close by," Cat said confidently, pushing past the boys and making her way towards the spiral staircase, the faintest amounts of light coming from the top.

/

"Is it almost done?" Jade asked curiously.

"Almost," Beck answered, still focused on the flask in front of him. He held the clear liquid up to eye level, examining it carefully. "I did everything the Lab Report says. Carver is usually pretty accurate. Although I doubt this has been used before." He turned to face Jade, who was still sitting on a stool to his left.

"Jade, you have to know before I do this that there is a chance it may not work. This hasn't been tested before, and I have no idea what side effects may be present. You have to know that if I do this to you, and something goes wrong..." he trailed off and just looked into her blue eyes.

"...it may kill me," Jade finished for him.

Beck nodded. "I can't rule that out. I just don't know."

Jade hesitated for a moment, then reached out and took his hands. "I think it's a risk I'm willing to take," she said quietly. "I...I just can't live my life this way. I'd rather die knowing you tried to save me than be a slave to whoever feels like giving an order."

Beck nodded again. "Okay," he said quietly, gently pulling his hands out of hers. He turned back to the counter, and reached for a syringe resting on the corner of the desk.

Jade's breath caught in her throat. "Wh-what's that?"

Beck turned back to face her, and Jade could see nothing but overwhelming sadness in his brown eyes. "It's the only way I can administer the antidote," he told her sadly. "But I just want to let you know, it's gonna hurt me more than you when I do this. I'm really sorry, Jade," his voice broke near the end of his statement. "I'm really sorry."

Jade felt just as equally bad that he had to put himself through this, all for the likes of her. She stood up and enveloped him in a hug, wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders. "I'm sorry too, Beck. I'm sorry, too."

He drew away after a moment, and took a deep breath. "Well, why don't you sit back down, and I'll get this ready," he said gruffly, turning to fill the syringe with the antidote. Jade obediently sank back down on her stool, her heart fluttering with anticipation and nerves for the pain she knew was coming. But if it turned her life back around, she knew it would be worth it. It had to be.

Beck bent down to her level with the full syringe ready. "Once again, I'm really sorry, Jade. Hopefully, this will be for the better," he said sadly, moving to grab her upper arm. Just as he was about to push the needle into her skin, the door to the lab flew open.

"STOP!" Cat called, rushing in the door. Andre and Robbie were right behind her. "Leave her alone!"


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

**Your reviews make my day, guys. Thanks. =) I'm tossing around the idea of starting a Big Time Rush story after this one's over. Would anyone be interested? It'd be a lot like this one in many ways, although I'm not gonna spill the plot now. But it would definitely have some creepy motives...hahaha**

Before Beck or Jade could react, Andre and Robbie had dashed across the lab and shoved Beck to the floor. Hard.

"Beck!" Jade yelped, shooting off her chair and down to help him. "Get off!" she growled to Andre, who was holding Beck to the floor by the shoulders.

"Jade, he was trying to hurt you!" Robbie protested.

"No, he was trying to help me!" Jade insisted, tugging on Andre. "He was going to make it better! Please!"

"Jade, you don't have any control over yourself right now," Cat said, coming up behind her. "_We're_ the one's who are going to help you!"

By this point Beck had managed to throw Andre off and sit up. "She's telling the truth!" he yelled over the commotion. Everyone became silent.

"Jade, what's going on?" Cat asked slowly.

Jade took a deep breath. "Look, guys, I know this may be hard to believe," she started, "but Beck _is_ going to help me. He's gonna fix things. For the better," she finished softly.

"But he's-"

"Yes, he was my enemy," Jade cut Andre off. "But he's not anymore...I can see it in his eyes. You have to believe me. Things are going to be okay."

It was quiet again.

"Thanks for coming to save me, guys," Jade broke the silence, cracking a smile. "It's nice to know you care, even when I couldn't reach you." She turned and gave Cat a hug. The little redhead was in tears over all the commotion, but she was thrilled that Jade was okay.

Andre and Beck got up and faced each other awkwardly. "It's an agent code to respect each others actions, no matter how illogical they may be," Andre told Beck. He held out his hand to the darker boy. "I have to honor Jade's wishes."

Beck hesitated a moment, then reached out and shook Andre's hand. "I know the code well," he said. "Thank you for respecting us."

"You know the code?" Robbie asked, curious. "How?"

Beck smiled. "I was an agent, too."

"We thought you were dead!" Cat blurted out, then hid behind Jade, who smiled and put an arm around her friend.

"Everyone did," Beck replied sadly. "That's why I'm here."

"So...you were one of us before all of this?" Andre asked, gesturing around the lab.

Beck nodded. "In a way, yes."

Cat peeked out from behind Jade, curious.

"Agent Oliver died in that plane crash you know about," Beck said quietly. "Beck the henchman was born soon after. No one else cared enough to look for me."

All was silent for a second. Jade reached out and rubbed his arm comfortingly.

"I'm sorry, man," Robbie said. "I guess we were wrong about you."

"It's not your fault," Beck answered. "I was wrong about myself."

Yet another pause. "So you're letting Jade go?" Cat asked.

Jade and Beck exchanged glances. They had actually never discussed the option of setting her free.

"Uhh.." Beck started.

"No!" Jade blurted out. The others looked at her quizzically. "Um, I mean..." she stammered. "The Professor can't know about any of this. Beck is risking his life here. If I'm just gone one day, it'll be his head. And I won't let that happen."

Beck's remained emotionless, although she was spot on. He did want Jade to be free. He didn't feel right keeping her as a prisoner anymore. But if she escaped, his life would be on the line. And she didn't want that to happen, either.

"What if you escaped with us?" Andre asked. "You know what you're doing. I'm sure the CIA would be willing to appoint you."

"Thank you, but I'm afraid it's too risky. What if Carver finds me there? Then the whole agency would be in danger, all because of me." He had a point, the others couldn't deny it."

Jade turned to her friends. "Get out of here while you can," she told them. "Before Carver finds you, and makes your fate worse than mine."

"But what about you, Jade?" Cat cried.

Jade stepped forward and hugged her. "I'll be fine. You'll see me again, someday. I promise."

Andre and Robbie came forward too. "You sure you want to do this?" Robbie asked her.

Jade looked into his brown eyes. "Agent's code," she whispered.

Robbie nodded sadly as she hugged him, then Andre. The three then left with solemn faces, not sure if they would ever see their loyal agent West ever again.

/

Jade wouldn't allow herself to be upset. There had been too many tears recently for her liking, and she knew that going into an antidote with sadness wouldn't help anything. So she hopped back up on her stool, rolled up her sleeve, and held her breath, ready for the pain.

Beck picked up the syringe carefully and pulled back the plunger. "You have to know, Jade, that this is gonna hurt me more than it will hurt you," he told her, biting his lip. "I'm really, really sorry."

Jade bent forward to caress his cheek softly. "I know. And I'll be fine," she told him, then straightened up again.

Beck inhaled sharply, then pushed the thin needle into Jade's upper arm and slowly released the plunger.

At first, there was nothing. And then, as Beck slowly pulled out the needle, the injection started to sting. And then burn. And then feel like it was taking off her flesh. As much as she wanted to stay strong for Beck's sake, Jade couldn't help but let out a shriek of pain. A single tear rolled down her face, which Beck quickly wiped away. His concerned eyes never left her.

The pain grew worse, until it became just like the original administration of the drug. The fire spread all throughout her body, and then climbed up into Jade's brain. She began to scream and thrash about, falling off the chair and into Beck's arms. He was crying too, knowing there was nothing he could do about her pain, and it was there in the first place all because of him. All he could do was hold her as the flames consumed her and tell her repeatedly how sorry he was, until her eyes closed and she fell unconscious.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

Beck sadly carried Jade back downstairs, her eyes still closed. He didn't want to put her back in her hard, cold cell, but if he didn't, the Professor would get suspicious. And that was something he couldn't afford to happen.

Beck gently lay Jade down on the floor, her body lifeless and unmoving. But she was still breathing, her chest slowly moving up and down. He studied her for a second, then hesitantly leaned down and briefly pressed his lips to her forehead in a single kiss. Then he turned and left the cell, head bowed, hoping she would wake up.

/

Cat, Andre, and Robbie trudged solemnly back to their helicopter outside. All three were at a loss for words: they may have possibly just said goodbye to Jade for good.

Andre reached up and pulled open the helicopter door before climbing inside. Robbie followed, then turned around and held the door open for Cat. "Coming?" he asked.

Cat bit her lip. "No," she decided defiantly.

Robbie sighed. "Cat..."

"I can't just LEAVE, Robbie! I don't care that Jade made us! It's not right!" the little redhead cried.

Andre put his head in his hands from inside the helicopter. "It's agent's code, Cat. We-"

"I DON'T CARE!" Cat nearly screeched. Her voice then dropped. "It's more than an agent code to me, Andre. She's my friend, too. And friends don't leave each other behind. Not after all the shit she's gone through!" Cat never swore, but she was so upset she couldn't stop herself.

Andre and Robbie remained silent for a moment. "If we stayed..." Robbie asked warily. "What would we do?"

"Find a way to break her out of there," Cat declared. "I don't care about Beck, I just want my friend back."

The two others didn't move.

Cat grew desperate. "If you two won't help me, I'll do it myself!" she spat, then turned on her heel and marched away from the helicopter. Andre and Robbie scrambled down from the helicopter and ran after her.

"Okay, okay, we'll stay!" Andre gave in. "So what do you want us to do?"

/

Jade's eyes fluttered open. She sat up slowly, and looked around, pushing dark hair out of her eyes. The dark cell she had known as home for God knows how long stared back at her.

Jade automatically put a hand to her forehead, anticipating a crushing headache. Surprisingly, there was nothing.

Still in shock, she slowly got to her feet, and walked around. Nothing. She actually felt light as air. Like someone who had just gotten over a bad cold would feel. Did the antidote actually work? Or was she dead?

Jade cast a glance down at her upper arm, rubbing her fingers over the small mark where the syringe had dug into her flesh. It was real, alright. And it had actually worked.

She heard a noise coming from the stairs, and turned to see Beck appear at the entrance to the cell. "You're awake!" he said, surprised. "I only brought you down here earlier today. It took much longer last time for you to wake up."

"Maybe the reverse is quicker..." Jade mused, as Beck let himself into the cell.

"You think it worked?" Beck asked, coming closer.

Jade shrugged. "I don't know," she replied. "I guess there's only one way to find out."

Before Beck could give her an order, Cat, Robbie, and Andre appeared by the cell door.

"Jade!" Cat called, running inside. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, Cat, I'm fine," Jade said distractedly, a bit overwhelmed by her friend's crushing hug.

"Did you get the antidote?" Robbie asked, coming inside the cell as well.

Jade nodded. "Beck says it worked mush faster than the original administration."

"She was asleep for half an hour tops," Beck told him.

"Must have been due to the cleansing process," Andre said thoughtfully, joining the others. "It's easier to wipe a computer clean that to load it up." The others agreed.

"Do you feel okay?" Cat asked, concerned.

"I feel great, actually," Jade said. "But why are you even back here? I told you guys to leave before the Professor finds you!"

Cat exchanged glances with Robbie and Andre. "I couldn't leave without you," she said quietly. "I'm sorry."

Jade was astonished. "You convinced two official agents of the CIA to turn around for a mission cancelled?" she said.

Andre and Robbie nodded.

"You need to come with us, Jade," Cat begged. "Please. I won't leave without you."

Jade cast a glance at Beck. His face was emotionless. She was torn. Half of Jade wanted to leave with her friends, and escape before the Professor realized. But the other half wanted to stay, because she knew it the Professor did realize, Beck could get killed. She was his responsibility.

Jade pushed past her friends and stepped closer to Beck. "Beck, I..." she trailed off.

"Go," Beck said. His tone was emotionless as well.

"Wh-what?" Jade asked, astonished.

"You heard me. Leave. If you go out the back way with the others, Carver won't notice you. You'll be free again," Beck's voice turned soft at the end.

Jade shook her head, tears threatening to fall. "But, Beck, what will he do to you? I can't leave you here to die!"

"I'll be fine," he assured her, taking her hands. "Don't worry about me. I'm an agent, remember? I can handle myself."

Jade wiped away tears that spilled over. "Go wait for me outside," she told the others. "I wanna say goodbye to Beck alone."

Andre, Cat and Robbie nodded silently and left without a sound. They knew that Jade and Beck had shared something special throughout their bizarre relationship. If she had to do something this painful, she could at least say a proper good bye. Once they were gone, Jade threw her arms around Beck's shoulders and tried not to sob. She was not nearly as strong as she had been coming into this mission, and had a much softer exterior. The new Agent West was not afraid to cry, and that's exactly what she did.

"Thank you for saving me," she said into his hair. "I owe you my life."

"If a plane crash ever has me aboard, will you come looking?" he asked, pulling away to look in her eyes.

Jade nodded. "Absolutely. I'll be the first one there, you know it." She hugged him one more time. "Good luck," she said, her vision blurring.

With that, she turned away and began to walk down the hallway towards the secret exit.

"Jade, wait!" Beck called after her. She turned around. Beck hesitated. "We never found out if the antidote worked," he pointed out.

Jade glanced towards the exit, then back at Beck before walking over to him again. "Okay. Give me an order," she told him.

Beck took a deep breath. "Kiss me," he said boldly.

Jade stepped forward and placed one hand on his shoulder before leaning closer and kissing him, her other hand sliding around his neck as his went to her waist. When they finally broke apart, Jade rested her forehead on his, trying to catch her breath.

"I...I guess it didn't work, then," Beck said, disappointed. "I'm sorry."

Jade smiled. "It worked perfectly well. I just wanted to do that on my own." With that, she kissed him briefly once more before turning towards the exit and heading out of sight. Right before ducking out into the sunshine, she lifted her hand in a brief wave. Beck returned it with a smile. And then, Jade West was gone.

**THE END.**

**Wow, were you guys expecting the ending so soon? Sorry I didn't give you a heads up. I would have, but I didn't really plan for it to be in this chapter. Maybe the next one. But it just fit in well and I was planning to wrap up the story soon anyways. Hope you guys aren't too upset. =))**

**As for the bademance, I'm sorry it wasn't as romantic as you may have thought. It was always supposed to be the tense and confusing relationship between two enemies, who have feelings for each other but are too loyal to their respective sides to show it. Beck and Jade always knew they couldn't be together, and once she left, it was the last time she saw him. Or maybe... epilogue, anyone? ahahahah But I had to throw in a kiss at the end, it was always the plan.**

**Any questions feel free to hmu. I'm still considering a big time rush story somewhat similar to this...a bit au as well. I love you guys, my co-writer InfinityForever7 was an amazing help to this story, which I probably wouldn't have even finished if you guys didn't love it so much. Thank you for the suppport. I'll be back soon. =)))**


	26. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

**15 Years Later**

35 year old agent Jade West pushed through the thick brush of the Amazon Jungle. "Do we have any further location on the crash?" she asked into her headpiece.

"The plane crashed approximately 70 meters to your left, behind the trees in a clearing," Cat said from back at headquarters. "You sure you know what you're doing? You don't want backup?"

"Cat, please, I may not be a forest ranger, but I know how to check for survivors. Especially if they may have something that belongs to us," Jade's gray eyes narrowed as she turned left and stepped through the brush again.

She wound up a grass clearing where a smoking plane had crashed mere minutes before. She had been originally investigating the jungle for hidden traces of cyanide in the plants, but upon hearing an ear-splitting noise, she had immediately called Cat and asked for an updated background check on her location.

Coughing because of the smoking aircraft, Jade made her way around to the open side of the split plane, looking for people who were still alive. Unfortunately, she found lots of dead bodies, and after recording their information, made her way to the back of the plane, where a young figure was slumped over in his seat, still strapped in by a safety belt.

Jade reached out and grabbed his shoulder, pushing him upright. The boy moaned in pain, a crop of dark hair falling over his brown eyes. "Kiddo, you okay?" Jade asked, before taking a good look at his face. Her expression immediately changed.

"Beck?" she asked.

It had been 15 years since she had escaped from Beck and Carver's clutches, nearly breaking her heart in the process. She had never seen and rarely thought about Beck since, and now, his request to be saved from a plane crash suddenly came flooding back to her.

"My name's Adrian," the boy said wearily, before closing his eyes again.

Jade shook him awake. "How old are you, Adrian?" she asked. The kid was the spitting image of Beck. Even time hadn't altered her vision of him, with his smoldering eyes and dark hair.

"12," the boy answered.

Jade looked around. The kid appeared to be the only survivor. Incredible. "What are you doing on this plane, Adrian?" she asked, unbuckling his seat belt and helping him out onto the grassy footing beneath them.

"I'm a junior agent in training," Adrian told Jade, staring at her badge taking deep breaths.

She rubbed his shoulder comfortingly and let him lean up against her. "And...?"

Adrian stared at her bleakly. "Are you an angel?" he asked.

Jade smiled. "No, honey, you're still alive. Why are you on this plane?" her voice grew firmer by the end. At the end of the day, she still needed answers.

"My parents were sending me to the Himalayas. There's business there that I need to be aware of," Adrian told her.

"Who are your parents?" Jade demanded.

"Victoria Vega and Beckett Oliver," Adrian replied.

Jade nearly dropped the kid. She was holding Beck's son. The son he had 3 years after she left. With...a girl she had never heard of before in her life.

"Beck Oliver?" Jade asked.

Adrian nodded. "He's a professor in a lab in the Himalayas. Have you heard of him? What's going on?"

Jade blinked. "Nothing," she said hastily, calling headquarters. "Cat, I'm with one survivor. Send backup, he's not hurt, just in need of transportation to the Himalayas."

"Of course," Cat replied, typing away on her keyboard. "Name?"

Jade remained silent.

"Jade?"

She couldn't answer.

"Jade, I need his name. We need to run a background check," Cat said persistently.

"Don't bother," Jade said, emotionless. "I know his background."

"What?"

She took a deep breath. "The kid's Adrian Oliver. Son of Beckett Oliver and..." she trailed off.

"Victoria Vega," Adrian reminded her.

"Victoria Vega," Jade repeated. It felt horrible to say.

/

Backup soon arrived, and the CIA loaded Adrian into a helicopter to transport him to final destination.

"Aren't you coming with me?" Adrian asked, climbing into the copter. "My parents would love to meet the person who saved my life, I'm sure."

"Just...just tell them that Jade West says you're welcome," she said, backing over to her own helicopter. "Your welcome, and...good luck. With everything."

Jade climbed on the rope ladder that was attached to her own ride, and steadily climbed until she was in the copter. Then it took off, trees whirling around it, leaving little Adrian left in wonder as to who exactly the pretty girl was that saved him, and what history she had with his father.

Jade looked out the window as her helicopter flew higher and higher into the sky, preparing to take her back to headquarters.

_"Thank you for saving me. I owe you my life." "If a plane crash ever has me aboard, will you come looking?"_

Jade smiled at the memory. She would probably forever owe Beck her life, but she didn't mind. It was something she would always have to remember him by. The boy who was an enemy, a savior, a danger, an attraction, and in a way, a friend, all at the same time.

**Okay, now it's the end. =))**


	27. Thank You!

**Hey everyone!**

**In case you didn't know, this fic was nominated for the Topaz Awards under best Bade. I didn't win, but am still overjoyed and touched. I had no idea upon posting this story that you all would love it so much. Thank you for helping it get to where it is now. I really appreciate it.**

**-JIS**


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